Petrol crisis worsens in Pindi as few filling stations dole out small quantities

Rawalpindi: The government has failed to overcome fuel crisis even after seven days as motorists were seen wandering here and there in search of petrol on Sunday. They were wondering what would happen on Monday (working day) and how people would reach their offices and schools as all filling stations have gone dry all over the city.
On the other hand, the government has also failed to provide gas at CNG stations as Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had ordered opening of CNG stations till the end of petrol crisis.
All-Pakistan CNG Association Supreme Council Chairman Ghayas Abdullah Piracha had claimed to receive the Punjab government orders for opening CNG stations. But, unfortunately, not a single CNG station was opened in the Potohar Region, including twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, on Saturday and even on Sunday till the filing of this report.
‘The News’ collected information from the district coordination officer (DCO) office that in total there are 175 petrol pumps in Rawalpindi in which 75 petrol pumps are owned by Pakistan State Oil (PSO). On January 12, when petrol shortage began, 169 out of 175 petrol pumps were open. On January 13, the operational petrol pumps were 141. On January 14, petrol crisis became worse and around 100 petrol pumps fulfilled the needs of public. On January 15, petrol crisis worsened and only 51 filling stations were left to cater to the needs of public whereas on January 16, that figure dropped to 45. On January 17 and 18 only 13 to 17 petrol pumps were open in the city where public was struggling to get even one litre of fuel.
Similarly, from January 12 when petrol crisis started around 100 per cent public service vehicles were plying on roads. But, after January 14 the number of public service vehicles dropped considerably and on Sunday only around 10 per cent wagons and buses were plying on roads.
Muttahidda Transport Welfare Association (MTWA) General Secretary Raja Ikhlaq strongly condemned the government policies saying that first the government snatched CNG and now petrol has gone out of reach of public. “How could we survive in this situation therefore we have stopped our vehicles,” he said.
A key officer of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources on condition of anonymity said that matter could be resolved in some minutes if the government pays circular debt of PSO. If government pays only Rs50 billion as PSO demanded immediately, the crisis could not have reached such an enormous proportion,” he added.
Talking to ‘The News,’ people belonging to different walks of life condemned the government policies and demanded an immediate resignation of Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi who not only failed to provide gas even for domestic use but also failed to provide petrol to motorists for last seven days.
Abid Hussain Shaikh, an angry motorist, said that the government has made PSO managing director, secretary and additional secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum and Director General (Oil) scapegoats. “The government should sack the minister for petroleum and natural resources because he is unable to play his role in resolving the crisis. There is no gas for domestic consumers and now we are deprived of petrol as well. So why is he serving as minister for petroleum and natural resources,” he added.
Dr Khurram Shahzad, another motorist, said that what is the benefit of dismissal of some officers. “Has public been able to get petrol after their dismissal,” he questioned. The government is responsible of every kind of crisis in the country due to its mismanagement. The government should pay Rs50 billion out of Rs200 billion as circular debt of PSO, he said. “In fact, the government did not want to resolve even genuine issues of public, he denounced. We are facing low to zero gas pressure since October 2014, we are facing 12 to 16 hours of electricity loadshedding in peak winter season and now we are facing worst kind of petrol shortage for seven days,” he said.