Fuel shortage cripples Quetta police patrols

QUETTA:

A growing shortage of fuel for police patrol vehicles in Quetta has severely disrupted routine policing, sparking concern among residents over a potential rise in crime and delayed emergency response.

Patrol vehicles assigned to various police stations in the provincial capital have been rendered largely inactive due to insufficient petrol and diesel supplies. These vehicles, which play a critical role in maintaining law and order and ensuring public safety, are reportedly receiving fuel allocations far below operational requirements.

Sources revealed that each police station is being provided with only 70 litres of petrol and diesel for an entire month. Officials say this quantity is barely enough to keep a patrol vehicle running for four days. As a result, most patrol vehicles remain parked for the remainder of the month, leaving large parts of the city without regular police presence.

The situation is further compounded by the daily allocation system, under which only two litres of fuel are provided to a station for patrol duties. This minimal supply has effectively halted routine patrolling across the city, creating opportunities for criminal elements to operate with greater freedom.

Residents say the absence of visible police patrols has already begun to impact the law and order situation. They report an increase in street crime and express fears that police response to emergencies could be significantly delayed.