The shortage of petrol entered its sixth day on Sunday as people in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, like other parts of the country, were seen travelling from station to station looking for petrol.
Long queues were witnessed at few fuel stations that are open in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Several residents of Islamabad and Rawalpindi spent their weekend on the roads searching for petrol. “We left our house at six in the morning for petrol but it is nowhere to be found,” said a resident of Islamabad.
Those who have managed to find petrol complained that it is being sold at inflated prices. “I paid Rs. 200 per litre for petrol which is over two times higher than its normal price,” said a resident of Rawalpindi.
Frustrated with the lack of relief people have started protesting outside petrol stations chanting anti-government slogans and seeking the resignation of the Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
They said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s notice against the petrol shortage and consequent suspension of some senior officials had not given them relief.
They said, “When two federal ministers had acknowledged that petrol shortage was caused due to the government’s negligence, then why had the government not taken prompt measures to end the crises immediately?”
