A paramilitary soldier patrols at Abbato Karaz village near Chaman, along the Afghan border. -AP Photo

QUETTA People in Chaman and other border towns may face an acute shortage of fuel because of a crackdown launched by the Afghan authorities against smugglers of petrol and diesel in Afghanistan.

Afghan border security personnel are reported to have seized a huge quantity of petrol and diesel in the border town of Spin Buldak and in the border trading post of Vash Mandi.

Hundreds of Pakistanis and Afghans in Chaman and Spin Buldak are involved in smuggling fuel from Afghanistan.

We are facing a shortage of petrol and diesel, a senior Afghan border official said.

A large quantity of petrol and diesel is smuggled into Afghanistan from Iran.

US supplies fuel to Nato and its own troops deployed in Afghanistan via Pakistan.

Smuggled Iranian petrol and diesel were available in border areas of Balochistan at rates cheaper than those of Pakistani fuels.

After the budget, the price of Iranian petrol increased manifold as Pakistan petrol was not available at the petrol pumps in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan.

Owners of petrol pumps claimed that oil marketing companies were not providing enough fuel to meet Balochistan's needs.

Opinion

Editorial

Islamabad march
Updated 27 Nov, 2024

Islamabad march

WITH emotions running high, chaos closes in. As these words were being written, rumours and speculation were all...
Policing the internet
27 Nov, 2024

Policing the internet

IT is chilling to witness how Pakistan — a nation that embraced the freedoms of modern democracy, and the tech ...
Correcting sports priorities
27 Nov, 2024

Correcting sports priorities

IT has been a lingering battle that has cast a shadow over sports in Pakistan: who are the national sports...
Kurram ceasefire
Updated 26 Nov, 2024

Kurram ceasefire

DESPITE efforts by the KP government to bring about a ceasefire in Kurram tribal district, the bloodletting has...
Hollow victory
26 Nov, 2024

Hollow victory

THE conclusion of COP29 in Baku has left developing nations — struggling with the mounting costs of climate...
Infrastructure schemes
26 Nov, 2024

Infrastructure schemes

THE government’s decision to finance priority PSDP schemes on a three-year rolling basis is a significant step...