Petroleum Dealers Warn of Nationwide Fuel Pump Shutdown from Monday Amid Supply Shortage

Islamabad: The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association has warned that petrol pumps across the country may begin shutting down from Monday if the supply of petroleum products is not immediately restored.

According to media reports, the association expressed serious concern over the ongoing shortage of petroleum products and cautioned the government that a continued disruption in supply could force petrol pumps nationwide to gradually suspend operations.

Central Secretary General Chaudhry Irfan Elahi stated that petrol supply across the country has dropped by nearly 50 percent, while diesel availability has fallen to only 20 percent of normal levels. He warned that the shortage could severely impact the transport sector.

Meanwhile, Lahore President Jehanzeb Malik and Central Punjab President Nauman Majeed urged the government to ensure uninterrupted fuel supply to retail outlets.

They criticized the authorities, claiming that inspections were targeting petrol pumps instead of supply depots. The association also alleged that some private companies had begun hoarding petroleum products to create an artificial shortage in the market.

Earlier, the All Pakistan Petrol Pump Owners Association had written a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, informing him that due to limited supply they were unable to meet public demand for fuel.