Pressure tactics: Oil tankers go on strike, again

Association has stopped supplies to PSO and warned of countrywide protests.

KARACHI: The oil tankers association has gone on strike in Karachi for an indefinite period from Wednesday and have warned of countrywide protests if the government fails to meet their demands.

The All Pakistan Oil Tankers Owners’ Association has also stopped supplies to the government-owned Pakistan State Oil (PSO). The association’s representatives are demanding the government arrest the men involved in the killing of their employee, Mehboob Shah, who was shot in Shireen Jinnah Colony on February 7. Shah was carrying cash from a bank when he was killed.

To show solidarity with their deceased colleague, the oil tankers association decided to go on strike. “We have stopped the supply of PSO in the city and will extend our strike towards other companies if our demands are not addressed,” warned Mir Yousuf Shahwani, the chairperson of the association. “Within 48 hours, all the petrol pumps and grid stations will be drained of fuel and people will take to the streets in protest.”

The association’s general secretary, Shafiq Kakar, told The Express Tribune that Clifton SP Muhammad Nadeem came to their office and assured that the police are trying to arrest the culprits. “We need fool-proof security in sensitive areas of oil installation, such as Keamari and Shireen Jinnah Colony,” he pointed out.

The association also has some demands for PSO, such as prompt clearance of insurance claims and discontinuing unlawful fines due to delay and shortage of fuel during transportation. “We will speak to no one except the managing director of PSO to discuss our charter of demands,” said Kakar.

“The roads are closed every other day so our vehicles are delayed,” explained Saleem Batani, a member of the association, as he was shouting slogans at the protest camp set up in Shireen Jinnah Colony. “On top of that, we have to pay fines up to Rs25,000.” According to Batani, the oil marketing companies charge Rs4 million if the tankers overturn and the oil is spilled but when the oil tankers owners apply for insurance claims, their money is released in two years.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 27^th, 2014.