RAWALPINDI: The PML-N led government is under fire for bungling up the handling of the unprecedented fuel crisis, that has hit the capital as well Punjab, the ruling party’s main constituency.

Despite widespread support for the party in power, there are grumblings among the masses, who say that the PML-N has managed to slip up even worse than the previous PPP government by allowing such a crisis to occur.

Read: 80pc of Lahore's petrol stations closed due to cut in supply

So critical is the sentiment against the PML-N, that people who voted for the party are actually questioning the rationale of their decision.

Not to be left out, even PTI Chairman Imran Khan has questioned the government’s claim that they have an experienced team of experts to run the country.

“We have been blamed for not having any experience in running the affairs of the government, but even the PML-N’s experienced team has failed to deal with the energy crisis and is still floundering in the dark,” he said.

Also read: Fuel, power shortage looms as oil stocks plummet

Even Khursheed Shah, who is the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, who has stood by the government in trying times, flayed the ruling party, saying that after the shortage of petrol and diesel makes people’s lives miserable, in a few days furnace oil shortages will mean that power supply to most parts of the country will also be suspended.

Also read: Shortage of petrol hits alarming levels

For once, the man on the street is in sync with the leaders in parliament. “No electricity, no gas, no CNG and now, no petrol either. The government is not to blame, rather we are to blame; we who voted in this party that has made such a mess of things, said motorcyclists queued up outside a petrol filling station in Rawalpindi.

Most people blame ruling party for bungling up current petrol shortage

Mohammad Shafique, a shopkeeper in Saddar who used to be the staunch supporter of the PML-N, told Dawn that, “It was my mistake to vote for PML-N in 2013. I assumed that experienced politicians like Nawaz and Shahbaz will solve the energy crisis.

“But the PML-N led government has proven to be the worst in the history of the country, failing to control anything,” he said.

Also read: Fuel crisis to last at least another week

Mohammad Mehboob, a professional standing in the queue at a petrol filling station in front of Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) said, “Enough is enough. The government has failed to improve the energy situation in the country. These people spent more than five years criticising the PPP government, but under them, the situation of electricity and gas shortages has only gotten worse.

“I think this is the first time people are queuing up for petrol. Even when Pakistan went to war with India in 1965 and 1971, there was no such petrol shortage in the cities,” said Raffique Ahmed, a retired government servant.

Also read: ‘CNG sale should be allowed until petrol supply is restored’

“It’s not like people are using petrol instead of cooking oil. The Petroleum Minister’s claim about increased demand is a red herring,” said Saleem Ahmed, a resident of Chaklala.

Tehmina Haider, a 32-year-old housewife, told Dawn that the PML-N made tall claims during its election campaign, but failed to deliver.

The business community has also slammed the government for failing to anticipate and overcome the fuel crisis.

“We the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) criticise the poor performance of government in managing the import of oil, due to which the country is now facing a serious petrol crisis,” Muzammil President ICCI Hussain Sabri said after a meeting on Saturday.

“Even as the ongoing construction work on the metro bus project has already reduced road space in both Rawalpindi and Islamabad – now we are without fuel and electricity,” Mr Sabri noted.

Also read: City CNG outlets open for two days in Lahore

He said that under these conditions, even workers were finding it hard to reach offices and their supplies had been adversely affected by transportation problems.

Separately, in Gujar Khan, a large number of residents blocked traffic on the GT Road to protest against the non availability of patrol and CNG.

Published in Dawn January 18th , 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play