Last night, the whole nation headed over to petrol stations to fill up their tanks before the nationwide petrol strike came into effect.
On November 24, every petrol station in Pakistan frantically filled up car tanks with petrol before the hour for the nationwide petrol strike struck. This strike had been announced by the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) a few days earlier, on account of current prices that offered “low-profit margins.” Ahem! Ahem!
Every citizen who had a car, motorbike or any other vehicle seemed to queue up for petrol.
Vehicles hoarding up a petrol station would have looked very funny. But all of them were stuck in these hoards for hours. Every vehicle waited for their turn well after midnight. And they were all OUT in the cold, may I add. Guess there are some jokes you can’t laugh hard at.
While they waited for their turn, citizens began sharing pictures of the queues on social media. And as I look at these posts, it became clear that the whole nation was anxious to get their hand on the oil.
This user wasn’t wrong when he thought that November 24 was the strike’s chand raat. And why not? The amount of people at the Shell station in Lahore did like give off major mehndi stall feels!
What’s worse about this situation is that the weather was awfully cold yesterday.
Citizens rushed to fuel stations to refuel their vehicles ahead of the nationwide strike by the petroleum dealers association, which said fuel stations will remain closed in the country starting 25th Nov.#Petrol#Strike#Pakistanpic.twitter.com/hUyizY1mYN
Commenting on to the situation in the capital I can’t help but feel concern for the riders. Novembers in Islamabad are unbearably freezing. I hope no one caught a cold!
Petrol pumps across Pakistan have been crowded since Tuesday amid the petroleum dealer association's countrywide strike call. #Petrolpic.twitter.com/XMGfnFnl1B
At the PSO station in Islamabad, one could at least see people in lines. The attendant must have made sure that there was enough for everybody. Behind the motorcycle were several other riders, including a Food Panda rider. I don’t know who to feel sorry for, the attendant or the Food Panda rider. This situation must have been awful for them both!
Let’s move on to Karachi now. This petrol station had decided to call it a day even before the agreed upon time for the strike. Whoever put that note must have been a very thoughtful person becasue many people actually had no clue about the petrol strike in Pakistan!
Another feather in the cap of this corrupt and incompetent Govt. Petrol pump strike on its way. Shame on selected and selectors. #Pakistan#Petrolpic.twitter.com/2KS6NrQyYo
Oh and in case you were impressed with the patient queues you saw earlier, here’s a friendly reminder that discipline is not one our strongest traits! Quaid, hum sharmindah hain 😔.
I can only imagine the headache the staff of this PSO petrol station in Rawalpindi underwent. Not ONE vehicle seemes to be in line in the image and worse still, a lot of them were coming from opposite directions!
This driver was in a very long queue with several other vehicles in front. The PSO petrol station’s sign was faintly visible from a distance. The fact that this rush was near a hospital was concerning. How did those ambulances make it to the hospital?