KARACHI: The crisis-like situation caused by the suspension of petrol supply since Monday evening started improving by Tuesday night after successful talks between protesting oil tanker owners and the authorities, as the former withdrew the strike call and resumed the supply, said officials and dealers.
The oil tanker owners had suspended the supply to protest against the recently levied services tax by the provinces.
Most of the petrol pumps were seen closed on Tuesday after they had sold out their stock.
The situation improved only after the All Pakistan Oil Tankers Owners Association and the petroleum secretary reached an understanding that the federal government would take up their grievance with the provinces and other relevant authorities.
“The supply has resumed but definitely you won’t see all the Karachi pumps start operating at once,” said Abdul Sami Khan of the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association. “It would gradually improve the situation and we hope we would be able to call it normal by Wednesday afternoon. Actually majority of the pumps remained out of supply and those which had the stock to cater today’s need fell short to meet the requirement due to a higher demand.”
To reduce the impact of the suspension of oil supply on motorists and public transport, the dealers had convinced the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) not to discontinue the gas supply to CNG stations until Wednesday afternoon under the weekly gas load management plan, he said.
Mr Khan said the move would help to bring relief to public transport and other modes of transport which were used for people’s transportation.
“CNG stations are scheduled to remain closed from Wednesday 8am for 24 hours under the SSGC’s gas load-management plan. But they would remain open till 2pm now so that the gap due to petrol shortage can be filled,” he said.
Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2015
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