50% of Oil Tankers lack minimum Safety Measures: Federal Minister for Petroleum & Natural Resources, Mr. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

Federal Minister for Petroleum & Natural Resources Mr. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that 50% of oil tankers lack minimum safety measures and quality standards which are posing serious hazards and threats to the precious lives of Civilian. He was addressing the Professional Development Conference held at Islamabad Serena hotel arranged by the Pakistan Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers. At the back drops of ongoing oil tankers strike; he further emphasized the need for educating the general masses about the safety measures at the work place and the development projects so that the precious lives of skilled labors may be saved from fatal accident.

He further stated that among our masses, safety tools are taken into granted as fashion or a piece of decoration. It is high time we must understand that safety is not option but very important aspect in professional capacity and in order to achieve production it is very difficult to avoid physical hazards until we practice safety measures. He further said that in the Ahmed-Pur-Shirqia accident the whole system failed to protect lives and we need to learn that the accident do not cause death, rather the post-accident events brings the calamity.

The Minister further stated that in 2009 OGRA issued notification for the standard safety measures for the oil/fuel tankers and according to those standards every oil/fuel tanker in Pakistan is going against that safety measures. He said that media, educational institutions and educational workshop need to disseminate information regards safety measurement.