Mayday: Filling stations run out of petrol

KARACHI:

The shortage of petrol has deepened as sales of the fuel have been suspended in various areas of Karachi, industry stakeholders say.

More than 35 per cent of petrol pumps in the city have stopped selling petrol while long queues of cars, motorcycles and other vehicles were seen at the few outlets which were still selling petrol. Staff at filling stations said stocks had finished as oil marketing companies were not making fresh supplies.

The shortage problem aggravated, like other cities of the country, because of reduction in supply from oil refineries and petroleum marketing companies.

Petroleum Dealers Association Chairman Abdul Sami Khan said the supply of petrol could not stabilise unless the problems of inter-corporate debt and margins of marketing companies were addressed. He said the situation may continue till the end of this month.

At present, he said, Pakistan State Oil (PSO) was the only company which was supplying petroleum products to the whole country.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 9^th, 2011.