Nimroz petrol stations owners want their problems addressed

ZARANJ (Pajhwok): Some petrol stations owners in southwestern Nimroz province have complained against the surge in the number of individuals selling petrol on the roadsides and said their business had declined and must shut down their petrol stations.

They said businessmen have invested asset worth million in order to provide quality service to customers but government did not pay attention to their problems.

Mohammad Sediq, the owner a petrol station in the Balwar Solha area told Pajhwok Afghan News he built the petrol station five years ago and spend millions of Afghani but from the past six months the number of their customers had declined due to the surge in the number of vendors selling petrol.

“The local petrol market is in the hand of mafia, some businessmen who smuggled petrol had to sell them in bottles and bags, they also imported below the standard petrol, these practices cost our business,” he said.

He termed the import of below the slandered petrol a huge challenge for businessmen and petrol stations who import petrol through legal way and added the problem was not new but persisted from the Republic era.

Mohammad Sediq said: “I invested 20 million afs by constructing a petrol station with the intension to provide quality service to my people but the government’s negligence is forcing me and tens of other business persons to close their businesses.”

Wazir Ahmad, another petrol station owner in Zaranj, raised similar complaint and said in all Nimroz districts on roads and streets tens of people are engaged in selling petrol.

“If the past government seriously dealt with the smuggled fuel today a large number of petrol stations would have not been closed,” he said.

He said of the 55 petrol stations in the province 34 had been inactive and the only reason behind this was the surge in the number of vendors selling petrol on the roadside.

“I spent 18 million on my petrol station construction, paid tax to the government, commission to the department of fuel products and salaries to the hired personnel but I have no sale.”

He asked relevant authorities to stop street venders from selling petrol on the roadside.

Rahmuddin, the owner of a petrol station on the 60-metre road in Zaranj, said earlier he earned up to 100,000 afs daily but now he did not have that amount of profit.

“The fuel market is monopolized by smugglers and venders; they import below the standard fuel and sold them on roads sides in bottles and containers,” he said.

Hafeezullah Asem, head of the Gas and Petrol Stations Property Union, said 58 private and one state run petrol stations existed in the province.

He said of the total petrol stations 30 were active in Dilaram, 23 in Zaranj and 32 were inactive.

He also said the reason behind the closure of petrol station was surge in vendors and added: “Vendors sell petrol in bottles and containers after every 20 meters on roadsides caused the petrol stations business to decline.”

He said vendors left negative impact on the private sector income and also deteriorated the environment.

“A petrol station needed up to 18 lacks afs to be built and when it is constructed it has to pay taxes, salaries and other dues, while street vendors pay no tax and built no infrastructure and hamper the business of taxpayers,” he said.

Petrol or diesel sold by vendors were not of a high quality and when it is burned inside a vehicle it produce harmful fog in the air which is not healthy for human being.

He said: “In line with the government policy the Petroleum and Gas Authority monitored the quantity of petroleum products, the quality of petroleum products was inspected by the Norm and Standard Authority.”

He said the Petrol and Gas Authority took action against some vendors in some provinces, including in Paktia, and this problem had been resolved to some extent

Asim said: “If Police and the Governor House cooperate with us we can resolve this problem.”

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