WAR ON IRAN
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Pakistan faces fuel supply fears as tankers wait at empty depots
Drivers report days-long delays at fuel depots near Lahore as Middle East tensions disrupt supplies and spark panic buying, though the government says prices will remain stable for now.
Pakistan faces fuel supply fears as tankers wait at empty depots
Motorcyclists crowd in a filling station and wait their turn to get fuel, in Lahore, Pakistan, Friday, March 6 2026. / AP
an hour ago

Tanker drivers in Pakistan said they were facing long waits at depots due to a shortage of fuel, as the government tried to calm fears of another rise in prices.

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.

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"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.

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SOURCE:AFP