Fears of fuel shortage in Pakistan as tankers wait to fill up

The US-Israeli war with Iran has disrupted shipping and damaged oil and gas facilities in the Middle East, raising global oil prices as countries scramble to deal with concerns over supply.

Dozens of tankers, which supply fuel across Pakistan, were seen parked at the side of the road on Tuesday at depots near Lahore, the capital of Punjab, the country’s most populous province.

“There is no petrol at the depot for the past four days,” said one tanker driver, Abdul Shakoor.

“Iran has closed the border from their side. The depot is lying empty,” he told AFP.

Pakistan depends on oil and gas from the Gulf, and vessels transporting fuel were given naval escorts this week to ensure continuity of supplies during the Middle East crisis.

Last week, the government in Islamabad hiked prices by about 20 percent, triggering long lines and panic buying at filling stations across the country.

Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik said in an interview broadcast late on Tuesday that there will be “no immediate significant changes” in the cost of fuel.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday announced an austerity plan designed to save fuel, including slashing the working week for government employees to four days and shutting schools.

But Mazhar Mahmood, a tanker driver’s assistant, said: “The drivers went to the depot today as well, but the depot staff said there is no fuel available.”

He said he was told that fuel will be available in the next five to six days.

“The situation in the country is not good. There is no petrol in the country, which is why the vehicles are parked here.”