PESHAWAR: Reduction in the prices of petroleum products led to shortage of the commodities at the filling stations in Peshawar and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday.

It was observed that many of the filling stations in Peshawar had suspended oil supply to motorists by displaying notices of non-availability of petrol temporarily. However, the fuel was available at the filling stations of Pakistan State Oil where long queues of vehicles and motorcyclists were seen waiting for their turn.

Workers at the filling stations told Dawn that the supply would be available at night as the long vehicles were not allowed to move on main roads at day time. About the sudden shortage of oil they said the stations ran short of the petroleum products soon after the announcement regarding cut in the prices by the government.

An official at a PSO station said that there was no shortage of oil but owners of different filling stations had stopped purchase of fuel due to decrease in its price to avoid financial losses. The official pleading anonymity said that retailers were least bothered to facilitate the consumers.

The retailers, he said had started purchase of oil after implementation of the decrease in oil prices by the government.

He said that retailers used to overcharge the consumers whenever government increased the price but the decision regarding cut in the price was hardly implemented.

He said same was the case with transporters who rarely cut the transport fare even after issuance of the fare list by transport department.

According to our correspondents the oil shortage was also witnessed in Kurram, Charsadda, Swat and other districts.

Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2020