Balochistan [Pakistan], April 26 (ANI): A worsening fuel shortage for police patrol vehicles in Quetta has severely hampered routine law enforcement, heightening public fears about rising crime and slower emergency responses, The Express Tribune reports.
Police across multiple stations in the provincial capital have been forced off the roads because of critically low petrol and diesel supplies amid disruptions linked to the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz. The interruption comes even as the United States and Iran held a first round of talks in Islamabad that concluded without a deal.
Patrol units, vital for maintaining order and rapid response, are operating far below capacity, leaving large sections of the city without adequate policing. Sources say each station is being allocated roughly 70 litres of fuel for an entire month — enough to keep a patrol vehicle running only a few days — so most vehicles remain idle for long stretches and visible patrols have sharply declined.
The situation is compounded by a daily distribution system in which stations sometimes receive as little as two litres per day for patrol duties, effectively bringing regular patrolling to a near halt. These gaps in surveillance are being exploited by criminals, and residents have reported an increase in street crime and violence, attributing it to the diminished police presence. Concerns are growing over delayed emergency responses, which could put lives and property at greater risk.
Meanwhile, a sharp rise in petroleum prices is reverberating across Pakistan’s economy, driving up the cost of essential goods, including medicines, and increasing financial strain on vulnerable households. The cascading effects of fuel inflation have made healthcare and other necessities less affordable for many, The Express Tribune adds. (ANI)
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