Shortage of petrol at filling stations forces public to panic buying

Rawalpindi

Although All Pakistan Tankers Owners Association called off their strike after getting assurance from the government of meeting their demands, a large rush of motorists and motorcyclists was witnessed at some petrol pumps which were open while most of the filling stations remained closed due to shortage of petrol on Wednesday.

Scuffles broke out at several petrol pumps between motorists, motorcyclists with owners of petrol pumps over quantity of petrol. Vehicle owners were demanding of petrol pump owners to fill up their tanks which they denied, which led to scuffled and exchange of harsh words. However, local administration deputed policemen and traffic wardens to control the situation and flow of traffic near filling stations at Satellite Town, Adiala Road, Jhanda Chichi, Rawat, Bakramandi, Tahli Morri, Jhelum Road, Mall Road, Airport Road, Benazir Bhutto Road, Pirwadhai and Dhoke Syedan.

All Pakistan Oil Tanker Owners Association chairman Yousaf Shehwani said that they have called off strike and supply will resume soon. He said that government has met their demands. “We have given green signal to tanker drivers to supply fuel,” he added.

Commuters complained that public transporters had increased fares on the pretext of running their vehicles on expensive petrol. The cab drivers also doubled their fares. The looters were selling 1-liter petrol at Rs100-Rs150 in oil agencies.

Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) spokesman Imran Ghaznavi said that oil tankers should follow rules and regulations. “We will sit with tanker owners to resolve all issues in 15 days,” he claimed. He said that they wanted to resolve public problems but on this pretext will never allow oil tankers’ owners to break laws.

It is worth mentioning here that Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has directed oil tanker owners to update their tankers to avoid incidents like Ahmedpur Sharqia where over 200 people were burnt to death while 100 others left injured as an oil tanker caught fire after overturning on National Highway in Ahmedpur Sharqia near Bahawalpur on June 25, 2017. An oil tanker turned upside down on Pakka Pul apparently due to over speeding after which people from the village Basti Ramzan Joiya area swarmed the site to collect fuel that was spilling from the oil tanker however, unfortunately the fuel burst into flames.

But, oil tankers owners rather to adopt government advice, announced a strike for an indefinite period on June 24. The oil tanker owners blackmailed government and called off strike on Wednesday. 

Nadeem Ahmed, having a private car said that he wanted to get fuel tank of his car filled after hearing news about shortage of fuel. He said that his parents were sick, and in case of an emergency, he would have to take them to the hospital. “If I have no petrol in my car, I cannot move in case of an emergency,” he said. “I am searching of petrol for three hours but failed to get it,” Mohammad Noman, a student said.