Nineveh moves to QR-coded fuel cards as gasoline crisis deepens

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A gasoline shortage is continuing in Nineveh province, where long queues have formed at both government stations and private filling stations. Drivers have complained that subsidized fuel sold under the "improved" label has a low octane rating and causes frequent engine breakdowns. The Nineveh Petroleum Products Branch is shifting to a new distribution system designed to curb smuggling and limit fuel sales to verified vehicle owners. Under the plan, gasoline will be dispensed through paper or electronic fuel cards linked to a mobile-phone QR code matched to registered vehicle ownership. Officials said the move tightens oversight of the fuel-card system that has been used in the province for years. The card-based reform is running alongside efforts by the Nineveh Provincial Council's Energy Commission to raise the daily gasoline quota and strengthen inspection of filling stations. Residents have called for imported fuel to undergo technical field testing before it is released to the public. No further details on the rollout timeline were immediately available.