KARACHI, Oct 21: The police resorted to batoncharge and teargas shelling against the participants of a protest demo, organized by the All-Pakistan Oil-Tanker Owners Association at Shireen Jinnah Colony in Keamari following the arrest of the APOTOA chief, Yusuf Shahwani, on Monday.
The protesters lit bonfires and blocked roads against the arrest of their leader, and the situation worsened to such an extent that the Keamari police failed to control it till late in the night.
A spokesman for the oil-tankers owners association said supply of petroleum products by Pakistan State Oil remained suspended due to their protest.
The PSO, however, contested the APOTOA claim, saying supply of petroleum products to destinations all over the country continued normally despite attempts by a few cartage contractors and tanker owners to halt it.
According to the APOTOA, they are in the process of holding a dialogue with the PSO, which had earlier turned down their justified demands.
The APOTOA claimed the PSO had violated an agreement reached with them which ultimately led to a protest.
“We are not afraid of arrests. Our protest would continue till the fulfilment of our demands, and from Tuesday morning, we would suspend supplies by all oil companies,” the APOTOA spokesman claimed.
He said the oil companies wanted implementation of such measures which were not applicable in the environment of the country, and the APOTOA had resisted these measures asking the PSO to ease certain restrictions in accordance with the national atmosphere. But, he said, the PSO had turned down the request which created an atmosphere of confrontation.
The protesters blocked the road between Clifton and Shireen Jinnah Colony and they also interrupted traffic movement on M. A. Jinnah Road in Keamari which led to suspension of supplies.
The protesters gathered near a traffic police kiosk and razed it to the ground and also set ablaze a motorcycle in front of the destroyed police kiosk. The police baton-charged protesters and fired teargas shells to disperse them.
The police picked up a number of protesters and sent them behind bars.
Although the situation remained out of control of the Keamari police, the TPO Keamari could not reach the spot to handle and monitor the situation, the sources said.
DIG Karachi (Operations) Tariq Jamil said: “We have detained the chief of APOTOA; and the TPO Keamari is handling the situation.”
However, the TPO Keamari, Farooq Azam, declined to divulge details. When he was contacted on his mobile phone, he said he had been stuck up somewhere in the city in the deluge of traffic and could not speak.
Chairman, Pakistan Petroleum Dealers’ Association Abdul Sami Khan said: “We have not yet faced a shortage of petroleum products (on Monday). The shortage of petroleum products can be felt if the supply remains suspended for the next two days.”
The PSO spokesman said: “Had there been even an iota of truth in the claims of the leaders of the APOTOA, the people, in general, must have felt the shortage of POL products by now. But the facts stand to the contrary.”
He said the ongoing agitation has been rejected by a majority of cartage contractors.
“As PSO’s business partners, these contractors have seen through the machinations and political ambitions of their so- called leaders. They are operating their fleet normally, thus keeping the supply lines moving.” They have already offered 60 tank lorries for the company’s programme of upgrading the fleet to the international standards.
The tank lorries are to be fitted with pilfer-proofing equipment with a satellite tracking system so as to ensure the delivery of products in right quality and quantity. The local fleet engaged for supplies to retail outlets in Karachi and our dedicated lubricant container service, all owned by contractors, have already been brought to the international standard.
The spokesman said: “It is most difficult to detect the various ingenious methods and devices used for pilferage of product, such as hidden chamber, double dip holes, pressure system and manipulation in dip-pipe. So many contractors go unnoticed. However, PSO has uncovered several incidents with photographs to prove such pilfering.”
Meanwhile, the leaders of National Transport Ittehad Karachi asked the oil companies to fulfil the demands of APOTOA in three days otherwise a complete wheel-jam strike would be observed in the city.
The NTI also demanded a reversal in the prices of petroleum products recently increased by the Petroleum Advisory Committee.
KARACHI, Oct 21: The police resorted to batoncharge and teargas shelling against the participants of a protest demo, organized by the All-Pakistan Oil-Tanker Owners Association at Shireen Jinnah Colony in Keamari following the arrest of the APOTOA chief, Yusuf Shahwani, on Monday.
