LAHORE - There are petrol pumps everywhere in the Punjab province but not a drop of fuel to fill the empty tanks of vehicles and motorcycles as the worst fuel shortage is multiplying the miseries of the people. The motorists are suffering a lot across the Punjab as most of the petrol pumps have suspended the fuel supply ahead of expected decrease in the prices of petroleum products, market sources said on Sunday. According to the motorists, even the petrol pumps of leading multinational companies have also stopped fuel supply following the reports that the government is likely to reduce the fuel price on Monday (today). The market sources revealed that the situation would further worsen in the next three days as there is no fuel stock available with the petrol pumps and the filling station owners would place purchase order after the announcement of new prices. They said that the petrol pump owners have not placed orders for fuel purchase and are waiting for the notification of decrease in the prices of petroleum products. The motorcyclists were witnessed exchanging hot words with the workers of filling stations in various parts of the provincial metropolis to protest against the shortage of petrol, which has increased the miseries of people. The motorists have demanded the authorities to immediately end this artificial shortage of petrol to provide relief to the public. There were long queues of vehicles and motorcyclists at the few petrol pumps where petrol was available and people were anxiously waiting for their turn to get petrol. Many people exchanged harsh words with each other at the crowded filling stations. It is important to mention here that several districts of the Punjab province have been facing severe shortage of petrol for the last two days. The situation worsened on Sunday when most of the petrol pumps suspended the fuel supply stating that they had no fuel stock to sell. According to the market sources, this fuel shortage is benefiting the small fuel dealers who are earning huge profit by selling fuel on high prices from their stocks. The authorities are watching the situation like silent spectators instead of taking any strict action against those involved in creating artificial shortage of petrol. The shortage of petrol is badly affecting particularly the motorcyclists who have been left with no other option but to patrol to get petrol. Ahmed Khan, a motorcyclist told The Nation that he has been dragging his motorbike for the last two hours at the City roads to get fuel but to no avail. He further said that this situation has exposed the claims of good governance, as the government authorities are unable to check this artificial shortage. "I went to four filling stations situated at Multan Road and Ferozepur Road but could not get fuel. The petrol pump owners say that they have no fuel to sell," another motorcyclist commented. Jamil Mumtaz, a car-rider said that the government should evolve a comprehensive mechanism to announce cut in fuel prices to avoid such fuel shortage. When contacted, a spokesman of the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association said that the oil marketing companies like Shell, PSO, Caltex and Total have suspended fuel supply to the filling stations owing to the expected decrease in the fuel prices. As these companies come to know about the reduction in the prices of petroleum products they immediately dry their depots and stop fuel supply, causing fuel shortage, he maintained.