ISLAMABAD: All Pakistan Oil Tanker Association (APOTA) has warned to
suspend supply to PIA, Pakistan Railways, Industry and other public
sectors’ organizations until its demands were not met.
The
association that had been continuously agitating for increased payment
from Attock Oil Refinery and provision of safe route lashed out at the
government when over 100 oil tankers proceeding to the Capital City of
Islamabad for demonstrations were stopped on Friday night at the
outskirts of the city.
Talking to Online APOTA Chairman Mir
Muhammad Yousaf Shehwani said that the government had approved 45
percent increase in the oil tankers’ fares but the refinery factories
have so far denied the payment.
“Khushal Garh bridge is
dangerous for the oil tankers having weight 37-40 tones and the bridge
can bear only 27 tone weight. So the tankers have to adopt the route via
Peshawar from Kohat to Rawalpindi,” he added, claiming that over 300
oil tankers laden with crude oil are waiting at the outskirts of
Islamabad to march up to the parliament for holding protest.
Meanwhile,
Legal Advisor of the association, who was accompanying the protesting
procession of the tankers said that supply of oil would be stopped if
the demands of the association were not accepted immediately.
“The
association had given 48-hour ultimatum to the government but
authorities failed to meet the deadline and so it was decided that
oil-laden trucks should march up to the parliament in Islamabad where
protest would be continued until the demands are accepted,” he further
said.
However, sources informed that about 100 oil tankers left
Kohat for protest in Islamabad but some of them stopped for various
reason and 65 trucks were stopped before entering into the capital.
A
Senior Official, who was not authorized to speak to media, in
administration of Islamabad told Online that law and order situation and
terrorism in the country do not allow us to let them go to the red
zone, where a similar vehicle caused blast at Marriott hotel near the
parliament. Online
