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Pakistan State Oil (PSO) has issued a tender for the purchase of 300,000 metric tonnes of low sulphur fuel oil for delivery between the months of January and March 2009, Associated Press of Pakistan reports.

Pakistan's leading oil marketer is said to be interested in importing a total of four fuel oil cargoes during this three-month period on a cost-and-freight (C&F) basis to Keamari, Karachi.

The tender is also reported to include the optional delivery of 100,000 metric tonne of low sulphur fuel oil in two batches between February and March 2009.

In October PSO issued a tender for the purchase of 450,000 tonnes of low sulphur fuel oil for delivery between the months of November 2008 and February 2009.

During the same month, PSO purchased thirteen 65,000-tonne fuel oil parcels via tender for delivery between October 2008 and January 2009, with the option to buy four additional cargoes.

Oil cargo trader FAL Oil was said to have been awarded the tender to sell the 845,000 to 1.105 million-tonne cargoes of high-sulphur fuel oil at premiums of $23.50 a tonne to Middle East spot quotes on a cost-and-freight (C&F) basis to Karachi.

Pakistan has been plagued by domestic power shortages during the course of 2008, which even led to daylight saving measures being implemented earlier this year.