The Chairman of the Standing Committee on Petroleum, Ghulam Mustafa Mehmood, has expressed serious concerns regarding the poor quality of oil produced by local refineries, claiming it is linked to the rising incidence of cancer and asthma in Pakistan.

During a committee meeting, Mehmood stated that five refineries must sign agreements to comply with international standards by October 22, highlighting the public health risks posed by low-grade oil.

The discussion also touched on top officials from the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL), who were reportedly in London for meetings related to the Reko Diq Project.

Secretary Petroleum, Momin Agha, noted that the Petroleum Minister, Musadik Malik, was attending the Russia Energy Week, and that the London visit involved important discussions.

Additionally, the committee learned from DG Oil that local refineries currently meet Euro 2 standards, while MD PSO called for maintaining a 3 percent guaranteed return for the refineries.

Despite these financial incentives, the chairman expressed his disappointment, stressing the urgent need for refineries to enhance the quality of their products.