In the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa tribal district in Kurram, gasoline is sold at an alarming rate of RS1200 per liter due to the prolonged closure of the roads, according to media reports.
Since November 2024, the safety situation in the area has led to the blockade of land routes, resulting in a limited movement of vehicles and shortage of essential goods, including food and oil products.
Local residents report that gasoline pump owners are charging arbitrary prices for gasoline, and drivers are restricted to buy no more than 5 to 10 liters at the same time.
According to Syed Ikhlaq Hussain, president of the upper Kurram Qabad Shah Khel, “two days ago, the price of gasoline was RS1000 per liter, but from last night, the price has increased to RS1200 per liter.”
In addition, he pointed out that although gasoline is available in small quantities, diesel is not completely available in the market. The local Distributor Nawab Ali explained that since November, the tankers have not been supplying fuel to the area due to the deterioration of the security situation.
“After the breakdown of the law and order, access to the road was restricted, but after negotiations with the Jirga (tribal council), some vehicles have begun to reach convoys,” he said. However, Ali added that while food supplies arrive, oil tankers have not been allowed to enter the region.
Ali also said that bribes are required at the Taal control point, causing significant financial losses for drivers. “There is a shortage of gasoline for vehicles that leave Kurram, which leads to overcrowding in service stations,” he said.
Gul Nawaz Afridi, president of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa oil association, reported that local traffickers in Kurram have a limited number of vehicles, and oil owners of the nearby districts are not willing to send their trucks to Kurram.
“Due to fear of attacks on convoys in Kurram, oil tankers are not entering the district, which leads to a shortage of fuel,” Afidi explained. He assured that the local officials of the oil association are in contact, and the fuel problem will be solved soon.
In response, district administration officials declared that efforts are being made to address gasoline scarcity. Discussions have been made with the oil dealers and the owners of gasoline bombs, and security arrangements will be made to ensure that the tankers arrive to Parachinar, the main city of Kurram.
It is pertinent to observe that in November 2024, an attack with weapons to a convoy traveling from Kurram to Peshawar led to a tribal conflict, cutting Kurram’s links with other districts.
