Citizens have been crowding filling stations to get fuel, as petrol has become a rare commodity in the twin cities.
Petrol pumps have witnessed long queues of vehicles, and people holding empty bottles and cans. Motorcyclists have also been clustering around filling machines for petrol.
The shortage of fuel occurred after rumours spread that the government had planned to close down petrol pumps before Qadri’s march on January 14.
Very few petrol pumps are now selling fuel to consumers. Azam Khan, a motorist, said that he had rushed to get his car’s tank filled with petrol after he had heard the rumours of a planned shutdown. “My parents are ill and I would have to take them to the hospital in case of an emergency, that’s why i really need fuel in my car,” he said.
Motorists waiting in queues at a petrol pump in Sector I-8 were told that the station had run of fuel and most vehicles did not have enough petrol to make it to the next nearest filling station.
Many motorists and transporters have reportedly quarrelled at petrol pumps in Pirwadhai, Scheme III, Commercial Market, Rawat, GT Road, Sector G-8/4, Sector I-8, Melody Market and other areas over their turn to get fuel.
Siraj Din, a motorist at a filling station in Melody Market, said everyone knows that the administration could announce a fuel shutdown at any moment therefore we wanted our tanks filled at the earliest.
Because of limited fuel stock in the twin cities, petrol pumps have been providing a limited amount of petrol to motorists.
Bilal Maqsood, a worker at a filling station, said the petrol pump owners had directed them to sell a specific amount of petrol to motorists due to the high demand.
Petrol paranoia!
