Petrol stations reluctant to sell

LAHORE: Most petrol stations in the city refused to sell petrol forcing desperate customers to purchase costlier ‘hi-octane’.

The price decrease intended to benefit consumers turned into an added hassle as petrol stations claimed they just did not have enough fuel to sell. Reports of harsh exchanges between pump employees and customers surfaced through out the day. A motorist Jamal Saeed stated, “Whenever a price increase in announced, the petrol pumps start selling old stock at the higher price but whenever the price dips, they pretend there is a problem with the supply.

“I had to purchase petrol at Rs75 per litre from a private depot because everyone else was refusing to sell,” stated Ashraf Khan.

A CDGL official stated that several teams had been constituted to raid pumps still charging the higher price.
He added that it was not possible to fine petrol station owners if they claimed that they just did not have any fuel to sell.

Published in the Express Tribune, June, 2010.