In a supposed effort to halt the PTI long march in its tracks, the federal government suspended the supply of petrol to the division and a massive shortage is expected as a result.
According to Murtaza, a local pump owner, fuel supply to all petrol stations across Hazara remained suspended on Saturday and Sunday.
However, the main suppliers told petrol pump owners that supply would remain suspended till the morning of August 15. Murtaza said the pumps would probably close temporarily once their supply was exhausted.
Malik Aashiq, another pump owner, said several filling stations in Haripur, Abbottabad, Mansehra and other parts of Hazara are already running short of petrol and diesel.
“Nobody but the common man will suffer,” said Aashiq, adding that the federal government must avoid confrontation and allow fuel tankers to continue supplying petrol and diesel across Hazara.
PTI Abbottabad President Sardar Sher Bahadur Khan slammed the PML-N government for the fuel shortage. He said the government had shown its “psychological weakness” with the move, adding that PTI workers would participate in the march at any cost.
PTI Haripur President Kamal Ghaznavi said the party had made alternative arrangements for its workers, but students, government and private-sector employees as well as businessmen would suffer due to the shortage.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 11th,2014.
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