PM expresses anger at Petroleum Ministry officials

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is chairing a meeting over the prevailing petrol crisis in the country.

The meeting is being attended by Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and other officials from the ministry. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif whose province has been facing a severe petrol shortage during the last seven days is also in attendance.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed anger at officials from the Petroleum Ministry, stating those responsible would not be spared.

In Punjab, long queues are seen at the few petrol stations which are open with people waiting since the break of dawn to fill the tanks of their vehicles.

There have been several complaints of petrol being sold at inflated prices as his as Rs 400 per litre.

The acute fuel shortage in Punjab has caused hardships to domestic and industrial consumers with households unable to make school-runs and industries unable to function.

Fuel supplies enroute to Punjab

Pakistan State Oil (PSO) sent 8,000,000 litres of fuel supplies to Punjab on Sunday which has begun arriving at depots in various cities of Punjab.
Additionally 40,000 tonnes of imported fuel is being dispatched via 500 trucks today (Monday).

According to a PSO spokesman, in order to control the acute fuel shortage in Punjab eight million litres of fuel was dispatched on Sunday, adding that,
40,000 tonnes of imported fuel that arrived two days earlier is also being sent to Punjab while another ship carrying 22,000 tonnes of fuel will be arriving at the port on Tuesday.

The PSO spokesman further revealed that 55,000 tonnes of petrol will be arriving at the Karachi Port on the 24th of January.