Roadblocks lead to a shortage of gasoline

The ongoing protests by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have led to significant roadblocks, severely disrupting the supply of petroleum products across Punjab, including Lahore and its twin cities.

Fuel tankers remain stuck on several highways, further exacerbating the region’s gasoline shortage.

Khawaja Aatif, secretary of the Petroleum Dealers Association, warned that the situation could worsen if the roadblocks continued. He highlighted that the daily petrol consumption in Lahore is more than 5 million liters and the total daily consumption in Punjab is almost 50 million liters.

Several petrol stations in Lahore are already running low on supplies, and some are at risk of running out of fuel completely.

In response to the crisis, the Ministry of Petroleum has sent an urgent letter to the Chief Secretary of Punjab, requesting immediate action to address the shortage.

The letter specifically calls for the restoration of crude oil supplies from the Attock Oil Refinery to ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies across the province.

Political unrest paralyzes life in Pindi

Political unrest and road closures, exacerbated by the heavy-handedness of law enforcement agencies, have brought Rawalpindi’s economic and social life to a standstill.

Markets, commercial centers and shopping plazas are deserted, as shopkeepers wait in vain for three days for customers.

Wedding halls, marquees and hotels have been completely closed, leading to the cancellation of thousands of weddings and receptions.

According to Faisal Qureshi, vice-president of the Marriage Halls Union, November and December are the peak months for weddings, but the current situation has led to the cancellation of more than 11,000 wedding events in the twin cities, with the actual number believed to be even higher.

Rawalpindi and Islamabad together host around 10,000 wedding venues, including halls, marquees and hotels.

Events scheduled from November 22 to November 26 have been canceled, resulting in significant financial losses. The catering, food and tent service sectors, which rely on these events, have also been devastated.

Wedding processions outside the city, as well as those from nearby tehsils, have been cancelled, doubling the losses for these businesses.

Public transport, including wagons, taxis and Suzuki vans, has not been operational for three days, paralyzing traffic within the city. While regular vehicles remain grounded, motorcycles and Qingqi rickshaws are taking advantage of the situation by charging exorbitant fares, forcing citizens to use multiple rides to reach their destinations.

The crisis has also had a serious impact on patients’ access to hospitals, with families struggling to transport their loved ones during the closures. Citizens, including Asghar Ali and Gul Riaz, expressed their frustration, saying, “Protests and rallies from Peshawar to Islamabad are fine, but why should we block roads, hospitals and alternative routes? This is pure injustice.”