MULTAN The City

Petrol shortage termed government failure
From Our Correspondent
MULTAN: The petrol shortage continuing for last sixth consecutive day has not only troubled motorists and passengers but also badly affected the business activities in the region.
Experts say the shortage has occurred mainly because of reduced oil imports and fog-related climatic changes, which has suspended the transport movement. Pakistan Chamber of Small Traders chairman Kh Shafiq said that the current shortfall was hindering the movement of finished goods and raw material. “The agriculture sector will be hit hard as well since high-speed diesel is used in the agriculture machinery and tube-wells. The main reason for the shortage is the circular debt, which has increased to Rs 200 billion,” he said, urging the government to take steps on emergency basis to restore the petrol supply.
Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) president Mian Iqbal urged the government to take steps to curtail the circular debt that had not only created fuel shortage but also the reason of long loadshedding. Khalid Mehmood Qureshi said the fuel shortage had badly affected the business in Sunday and Friday bazaars, leaving customers and vendors fall pray to the situation. “Farm to market supply remained suspended due to fuel unavailability in the preceding days.”
Traders said that a majority of vendors used motorcycle-rickshaws to transport vegetables and fruit from the wholesale market. “Owing to scarcity of petrol, most of vendors resort to diesel-run trucks or donkey-carts.” Vendors said that there was a significant fall in the motorcycle-rickshaws on the roads. Those available, they said, were asking for very high fares. Transporters said that they had to purchase petrol for Rs 120 per litre and had no option, but to overcharge. They said the truck and donkey-carts were also benefiting from the situation and overcharging.
Talking to journalists here on Tuesday, Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general Liaquat Baloch has condemned the petrol shortage, holding the Cabinet, Economic Committee and government experts responsible for the crisis instead of only petroleum secretary, additional secretary and the DG Ogra. “Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif should accept the failure of his government as the petrol crisis has exposed good governance,” he said, adding that the government negligence is a petrol terrorism which has badly affected two-thirds population and national economy. He said the crisis was the result of government’s failure and corruption.
Liaquat Baloch said the government had released fuel to defaulter departments like the Wapda, NLC, PIA, Railways and others. He said the government could import oil once in December last and no import could be made in January because of payment default.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan People’s Party workers staged a demonstration against fuel shortage and shouted slogans against the government. They demanded immediate supply of petrol in the town. The protesters gathered at Chowk Kutchery and blocked road in protest. The protesters led by Rao Sajid widely termed the petrol crisis total failure of the government, saying that Prime Minister Main Nawaz Sharif should resign over the issue.