ISLAMABAD – Attock Refinery Limited (ARL), the only oil refinery in northern Pakistan, was forced to shut down its main crude distillation unit after road closures in the capital disrupted the movement of oil tankers .
The refinery announced in a regulatory filing to the Pakistan Stock Exchange that its HBU-I unit, with a capacity of 32,400 barrels per day, has been shut until traffic restrictions ease .
The disruption occurred due to security-related road closures ahead of the expected arrival of foreign delegations for potential US-Iran talks in Islamabad . Oil tanker movement to and from the refinery was abruptly suspended, severely impacting both crude oil receipts and refined product dispatches .
As a result of the constraints, ARL reported a significant buildup of Motor Spirit (petrol) and High-Speed Diesel stocks at the refinery while crude oil receipts dropped sharply .
The refinery plays a critical role in meeting fuel requirements across central and northern Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan . It also supplies aviation fuel to Islamabad and Peshawar airports and provides furnace oil to independent power producers to help mitigate electricity shortages .
ARL had been following up with authorities since April 19 to facilitate oil tanker movement but was unable to secure the right of way . The refinery warned that prolonged restrictions could force a complete shutdown, potentially disrupting fuel supply to the armed forces, airports, and power plants across the northern region .
Later, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik intervened, and arrangements were made for police escort for oil tankers starting late night, allowing operations to gradually resume .
