KARACHI: Diesel sales have declined sharply in the country during last week of December 2007 as majority of the petrol pumps were closed due to riots erupted following assassination of Pakistan Peoples Party Chairperson Benazir Bhutto, dealers told Daily Times here Friday.
According to the figures released by Oil Companies Advisory Committee (OCAC), sales of diesel has declined by 11 percent as it was recorded 554,000 tonnes in December 2007 compared with 628,000 tonnes in the same month of last fiscal year.
Dealers told that petrol pumps remained closed for three to four days in various cities of the country following post-assassination riots, as dealers were reluctant to open their fuel station for security reasons.
According to the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) around 40 petrol pump were burnt and hundreds ransacked by the agitators on December 27. After that some petrol pumps were closed for a whole week in some cities of Sindh.
Some petrol pumps were opened after three days, but miscreants pressurized owners to close their businesses. Some stations were opened under the securities of law enforcement agencies, they added.
Supply of diesel and petrol to pump stations were also interrupted for four-day in Sindh particularly as oil tanker owners feared to carry their operation.
According to the All Pakistan Oil Tanker Association (APOTA) around 110 oil tanker were burnt in different cities of the country.
The stock of petrol and diesel had exhausted at some of the opened petrol pumps as they have sold the entire reserves of petroleum products particularly diesel and gasoline (petrol) to the consumers and waiting for resumption of products supply from Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), they further said.
The consumption of diesel also declined owing to the paralyse transportation in the last week of December. Besides, Eid holidays also caused lesseer transport movement in the country, energy analyst Khurram Shahzad said. staff report