The Pakistan Chemicals and Dyes Merchants Association (PCDMA) welcomed the extension of the Dangerous Petroleum License (DPL) deadline to October 23, 2025, but warned that the reprieve is insufficient and fails to address the underlying regulatory issues threatening industrial operations.
PCDMA Chairman Salim Valimohammad thanked Federal Minister for Energy (Petroleum Division) Ali Pervaiz Malik and other officials for their intervention. While acknowledging the extension as beneficial, he cautioned that the 42-day extension is shorter than the typical 60-90-day import cycle.
‘This offers a short-term solution, but the basic problem persists,’ Valimohammad stated.
He emphasized that many raw materials now categorized under DPL Class B and C are organic industrial substances crucial for various sectors like textiles, pharmaceuticals, and plastics, and not petroleum-based.
‘These substances are not covered by the Petroleum Act and present no petroleum-related hazards,’ he explained, adding that incorrect categorization could cause major supply chain disruptions, impacting Pakistan’s export competitiveness and foreign currency revenue.
The PCDMA urged the Ministry to immediately review and amend the DPL regulations to exclude non-petroleum-based raw materials, warning of potential long-term harm to the nation’s industrial foundation and financial system if action is delayed.