LAHORE: The announcement regarding a reduction in fuel prices by the government on Friday created a shortage of the commodity in Lahore on Saturday.

City District Government of Lahore (CDGL) teams sealed eight pumps for refusing the sale of the fuel at new rates. The teams also got 12 cases registered against the owners, according to spokesperson for the CDGL Tariq Zaman.

He said the Lahore district coordination officer got a petrol pump sealed near the MAO College for creating artificial shortage of petrol on Saturday. He said city’s fuel demand at total 315 pumps was 1.8 million litres per day.

He said pump owners had placed order for 5.5 million litres of petrol which was being supplied to them on Saturday. “The situation will be normal soon,” he added.

This Dawn reporter found pumps in Mughalpura, Johar Town, Township, Green Town, Shahdara, Ravi Road, Wahdat Road and Multan Road closed till Saturday afternoon.

“I went to a petrol pump near Tikka Khan Chowk, near G-1 market (Johar Town) where the staff refused to sell petrol, saying they were out of stock,” says Akbar.

Qasim, another motorist, said he bought petrol in the morning at the old prices.

He said the pump salesmen at main boulevard in Johar Town told him they had the stock bought on older prices.

He said whenever petrol prices went up, there would never be the shortage of fuel.

Mr Zaman explains the gimcrackery of petrol pump owners whenever the prices are changed.

“What they do, I tell you. After the 25th of every month, they (pump owners) start contacting the quarters concerned to know about the expected changes in prices. If the prices will go up, they order more supplies in order to stock more to make the most of price change,” he said.

In case, the rates will decrease, they stop buying the supplies and often are left with no fuel by the end of the month. Once new prices are in place, the pump owners buy the stock, he says.

The similar phenomena worked this time too as most of the pumps were run short of supplies on Saturday.

He said within a day, the situation would be normal.

REDUCTION IN FARES: Following reduction in the fuel prices, the Lahore Transport Company (LTC) on Saturday announced an eight per cent decrease in fares on city routes. According to a spokesman, the decision was taken by the LTC management in consultation with the transport department in order to benefit the public.

Similarly the transport department has also announced reduction in fares up to seven per cent on inter-city public transport routes.

LPG PRICES: According to the LPG distributors association, the prices of LPG are likely to be dropped massively in a couple of days after the LPG’s per matric ton price fell by $148 in the international market.

Keeping in view the situation, Rs17.50 per kilo will be reduced in the price of the LPG.

Similarly a reduction of Rs206 and Rs795 in the price of domestic and commercial cylinders is also expected across the country.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2014