The long queues of cars, vans and motorbikes parked along the filling stations particularly across Punjab and the helplessness writ large on the faces of the people waiting to get petrol to make their vehicles move are a pathetic sight. The crisis was compounded on Monday and Tuesday, the two days in a week when the supply of CNG is also interrupted. The government high-ups never have to go through this hassle because of the unlimited supply of fuel available for their motorcades, and they are least bothered about things getting deteriorated. The severe shortage has caused the petrol price in some areas to touch staggering Rs 135 per litre. As if loadshedding was not enough, the oil crisis has made life more miserable and might prove to be the last nail in the coffin of our economy. Though OGRA on the instruction of the federal government issued notices to the oil companies on Tuesday and ordered them to restore uninterrupted supply to filling stations, it is too little too late. Indeed, this provides yet another example of the government waking up only when the crisis has reached its peak. The pity is that there is not much hope of the situation really improving in the days to come. The OGRA itself appears to be hand in glove with the oil marketing companies and oil dealers in making problems for the common man, particularly targeting Punjab. Though other federal units are affected by short supply of petrol, Punjab seems to be the prime loser. This is a bad policy that reeks of poor judgement and cannot provide any party political mileage. The oil companies, which are suspected to be creating this shortage, must be forced to restore supplies quickly. If their grouse against the government that payment against supply has not been made is correct, it must be redressed, and it is ensured that the situation does not recur in the future. There is also need to increase the supply of CNG to end the two weekly holidays.