LAHORE, Dec 29: A severe petrol shortage continued to affect Lahore on Monday coupled with a shortage of CNG at several stations.

Some petrol stations opened sporadically throughout the day, resulting in panic buying as motorists rushed to gather what they could while stocks lasted, which was normally for no longer than a few hours. Heated exchanges were the order of the day as desperate motorists, some of whom queued for hours, left pumps without refueling.

Malik Fahim of the Petroleum Dealers Association said the situation in the city had improved slightly from Sunday because the Pak-Oil Refinery in Multan had begun processing a supply of crude oil which had reached Karachi two days earlier, and this stock was now beginning supply to Lahore.

Critics, however, contend that the crisis is artificially created by dealers and refineries who are withholding stock from the public in order to protest lower petroleum prices set by the government which in turn would result in a loss of profits.

According to a data compiled by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) of Punjab, air pollution has fallen over the past four days as a result of fewer vehicles on the roads.

Levels of SO2, NO2, CO and Ozone were all down by an average of 15 per cent, says Amir Farooq, a deputy director at the EPA.—Staff Reporter