15/04/2008 (The News International, Pakistan), Karachi - The country might face shortage of edible oil in a few days as private transporters of palm oil have resumed an indefinite strike over inclusion of state-owned National Logistics Cell (NLC) in their business, The News learnt on Monday.

All Pakistan Oil Tankers Owners Association (APOTOA) had called off the strike on Thursday after an agreement with Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers Association (PVMA) that restricted NLC from supplying palm oil above a specified limit.

“We were forced to stop supplies again on Saturday after the agreement was breeched,” Bakhtawar Khan, Chairman APOTOA told The News. “Both parties had agreed that NLC trucks would wait in queue along with our trucks for refill. It was also decided that only trucks with 25 tons capacity would be used.”

He said the conditions were not adhered to by some PVMA members as NLC trucks of 50 tons capacity were allowed to carry the raw oil. “No government official has approached us,” for resolving the latest standoff, he added.

The business to supply palm oil from Karachi ports to refineries has traditionally been a prerogative of private contractors. The PVMA had entered into a contract with NLC last December for supplying small part of imported palm oil from the Karachi Port and the Port Qasim to their factories in a bid to use reliable logistics.

But private oil trucks stopped supply of crude palm oil on April 3 when NLC started transportation. The APOTOA, which represents 5,000 trucks, wants exclusion of NLC from the supply business.

Both parties were to submit their recommendations within 15 days to the Federal Industries Secretary who would take the final decision. Tariq Subhan, an executive committee member of PVMA, acknowledged that the agreement has been broken and said it should have been adhered to until the time the issue was completely resolved. Refineries in Karachi had been closed since Saturday, he added. “I am a businessman and I should be allowed to decide who gets to carry palm oil for me,” he said in response to APOTOA position that NLC was not acceptable at all.