Pindiites demand opening of LPG decanting shops

Rawalpindi : The closure of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) decanting shops has created problems for the dwellers of the Rawalpindi, as low to zero gas pressure on Friday during rain added to their miseries amid lockdown in the city due to coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The local administration has allowed grocery shops, vegetable shops, ‘tandoors’, milk shops and bakery shops to remain open. However, citizens using LPG are facing problems due to absence of commodity for several days.

Police has also arrested 13 LPG dealers for trying to open their shops to sell the commodity to public.

The affected citizens have appealed to the local administration to allow LPG sellers to open shops like grocery shops, milk shops, ‘tandoors’, medical stores etc to ease the life of public.

They said that all hotels and restaurants were already closed in lockdown, how they could survive in this situation.

Rawalpindi LPG Dealers Association Joint Secretary Muhammad Zaman Kiani said that police were not allowing them to open shops. “Public is insisting us to open shops to sell LPG but we are facing arrest during the lockdown,” he added.

All Pakistan ‘Naanbhais’ Welfare Association (APNWA) President Muhammad Shafiq Qureshi told ‘The News’ that LPG was not available anywhere and in the prevailing circumstances it would be difficult for them to run ‘tandoors’. “We appeal to local administration as well as provincial government to allow LPG dealers to open their shops for the continuation of supply otherwise ‘tandoors’ will also shutdown,” he added.

Assistant District Collector General (ADCG) Zaheer Anwar Jappa said that they were following the orders of Punjab government. “We will inform the provincial government of the whole situation and wait for their further orders,” he added.