Fuel shortage: PSO restores oil supply to railways

PSO decides to restore the fuel supply to Pakistan Railways despite a pending payment of Rs750 million.

LAHORE: Pakistan State Oil (PSO) has decided to restore the fuel supply to Pakistan Railways despite a pending payment of Rs750 million, The Express Tribune learnt on good authority on Thursday.

Sources in PSO said that cheques given by PR have consistently been dishonoured.

Pakistan Railways had already shut down 39 freight trains because of fuel shortage.

Karakoram passenger train on Thursday, which left Lahore for Karachi was delayed by an hour at the Faisalabad railway station because it was not refilled at the Lahore station.

Sources from PR said that due to the financial crunch, an estimated budget of Rs613 billion is unlikely to be met as after six months of the present fiscal year, it has just received Rs21 billion.

PSO’s Public relations officer Mariam Shah told The Express Tribune that her company had asked Pakistan Railways to enter into a “fuel supply agreement” with them to ensure the payment of their dues. In case of a delay, the government would make the payment on behalf of PR.

She added that PSO restored the fuel supply taking into consideration the suspension of passenger train services.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 14^th,  2011.