ISLAMABAD – With the widely-believed but unfounded rumours of suspension of petrol supply ahead of Tahirul Qadri’s march continue doing the rounds in the federal capital, the residents on Friday continued to queuing up in front of the petrol pumps in several localities.
The rumour started circulating of Thursday morning and remained in vogue on Friday, as panic buying continued unabated. Queues of up to two kilometres built up at some petrol stations around the city forcing the government to came up with official statements denying any such shortage or plan to cut supply to the filling stations.
Dr Asim Hussain Advisor to the Prime Minister on Petroleum and Natural Resources Friday clarified there was no petrol shortage in the federal capital. Hussain said that directions had also been issued to oil companies for continuous supply of petrol so that public did not face problems in daily commuting.
But the statement did not make a difference, as there was no respite from petrol buying spree till Friday night.
“I really don’t know the purpose of Qadri’s rally. Is it to make the people suffer or to provide relief? a motorist Shaheena Imran said, while waiting for his turn to get fuel for his car queued up outside a petrol station in Aabpara, adding she had to call his office that she would be late for work after being held in long queue of petrol seekers for about one hour.
“Panic buying is nothing new. I still remember when in late 90’s there was a rumour of a sugar shortage and everybody bought sugar in bulk, which caused a severe shortage of routine commodity, and consequently the price of sugar went up,” commented Muhammad Ali Afzal Advocate when he was asked about his comments over the phenomenon.
He said successive governments in past remained fail to meet the hopes and expectations of the masses that had surged the level of disappointment and uncertainty among the masses.
The current phenomenon depicts the level of heightening uncertainty among the masses, where they were not ready to believe government or oil companies, which had been negating impression of fuel shortage.