QUETTA – Oil Tankers Association on Monday night announced to restore supply of fuel to Quetta ending the two-day strike.
Acting upon the directions of Balochistan Chief Minister, a team of district administration held successful talks with oil tankers association.
The representatives of oil tankers agreed to immediately restore supply of petroleum products to all petrol stations.
Moreover, Deputy Commissioner Quetta, Capt (R) Farukh Attique said on behalf of government, a marathon dialogue session was held today with representatives of all Pakistan Petroleum Tankers Association. After successful session, the strike was called off. The dialogue will continue under supervision of Commissioner Quetta Division to meet genuine demands of association.
Earlier, fuel crisis exacerbated in Balochistan including Quetta on Monday following strike called by All Pakistan Tankers Association against alleged high-handedness of security forces.
The strike led all fuel stations closed, creating hardships for motorists and commuters in provincial capital Quetta.
Reportedly, the dealers who had stored Iranian petrol for such circumstances, were selling the fuel at Rs150-200 per litre to motorists and motorcyclists.
The strike called by All Pakistan Tankers Association (APTA) had put Baloch people in yet another difficult situation for the last two days as they were facing severe problems to carry out their day to day activities due to scarcity of petrol and diesel.
The strike came hardly a week after oil strike was observed across Pakistan.
“The security forces personnel are harassing tanker drivers and allegedly collecting extortion money from them,” Mir Yousaf Shahwani, APTA Chairman said at a press conference on Monday in Hub.
Shahwani said the tankers were being stopped for hours at various checkposts in Balochistan and in some cases they were also tortured.
“The Frontier Corps personnel stop oil tankers at Lak Pass, Dasht Goran and Hub and get petrol and diesel from oil tankers forcefully,” alleged Shahwani.
He threatened that they would cut fuel supply to whole Balochistan if the security personnel did not mend their ways.
Shahwani also appealed to Chief of Army Staff to take notice of the security forces’ attitude towards them.
“Tankers association and pump owners painting erroneous picture of the efforts security forces had been making for thwarting smuggling of Iranian petrol,” said the security officials.
The security officials clarified that allegation of receiving extortion money were baseless and propaganda was being made to undermine endeavors of the forces trying to check petrol smuggling in public transport.
“Smuggling of petroleum products in public transport and oil tankers can neither be declared legitimate, nor anyone can be permitted,” asserted the security official brushing aside the allegations of oil tankers association.
However, due to the closure of fuel stations, petrol dealers made the hey by selling illegally-brought Iranian diesel and petrol on exorbitant prices.
Moreover, the rickshaw drivers added insult to the injury by charging the passengers heavily. Less number of vehicles were seen plying on roads due to fuel crisis
Only two or three fuel stations were witnessed supplying fuel to official vehicles. Long queues were seen of the hapless motorcyclists and vehicle owners who desperately waited for their turn.
Visibly annoyed people demanded of the Balochistan government to take stern action against oil tankers and pump owners who caused artificial fuel shortage with collusion of certain dealers who wanted to sell their stocked fuel at exorbitant prices.
Meanwhile, Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, taking notice of fuel shortage in Quetta, has ordered Commissioner Quetta to immediately hold dialogue with oil tankers association for ending strike.
The chief minister directed district administration to ensure availability of petroleum products in Quetta to redress troubles of the people.
