Pakistan - Petrol Crisis

The petrol crisis looms large over a nation overburdened and crippled with shortages of every kind. Entering its sixth consecutive day, there seems to be no end in sight to the massive and sudden shortage of fuel. Coming back from Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has taken ‘notice’ of the situation and has sacked four top ranking officials in an attempt to placate a fuming public. Petroleum Secretary Abid Saeed, his deputy Naeem Malik, Oil Director General CM Azam and Pakistan State Oil (PSO) Managing Director Amjad Janjua were at the receiving end of the chopping block but, surprisingly, the petroleum minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, retained his portfolio allegedly because of his closeness to the premier himself. Heads did roll but not, it seems, the ones that matter the most. It is the petroleum minister who should take the flack for the astronomical catastrophe the petrol crisis has become. Chaudhry Nisar, the interior minister, has admitted to the incompetence of the government in this regard, citing the circular debt of petroleum companies that had piled up to leave us in the mess we see today. He also spoke about his ‘sadness’ at seeing such long queues of cars at petrol stations. The country does not need his sympathy; it needs answers to why this was allowed to happen in the first place. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar needs to come clean on why adequate and timely payments were not released to facilitate the oil companies to get new stocks of this vital product. There can be no passing on the blame and accusing one another in this massive scale incompetence.

The petrol shortage has brought life to a screeching halt for most with productive, working members of society standing for as long as six hours in line for a few litres of petrol. There is an immediate threat of all kinds of economic activity also coming to a complete stop with there being no transport of goods and stocks running woefully short. Perishable goods will not last and eatables will not be transferred to marketplaces, leaving consumers with no food and no idea about how long this misery will last. Scuffles have broken out at petrol pumps with agitated consumers ready to erupt if someone cuts the queue or petrol is not distributed when it is their turn. Everyone can clearly see the disaster that lies ahead for the whole country if this crisis is not handled on a war footing. The government does not have days to dilly-dally around; it has some hours, at best