Pakistan

Twitter reacts to #PetrolShortage

The 'crisis' brings to light some interesting and entertaining observations

Anaam Afridi January 20, 2015

A man pushes his rickshaw to get fuel at a fuel station in Rawalpindi January 19, 2015. PHOTO: REUTERS

Already frustrated by crippling electricity and gas shortages, Pakistanis now have another crisis on their hands. This time around, Pakistanis are standing in mammoth queues just to secure a drop of petrol.

The 'petrol crisis' as it is being referred brought to light some interesting and entertaining observations on the country's favourite government-bashing platform : Twitter.

Three hashtags are currently being used to respond to the petrol shortage in the country. #PMLNpetrolchor was the top trend, with it being used over 18,000 times in the past 24 hours and #PetrolShortage and #SherBanoSher were each tweeted nearly 6,000 times since yesterday.

We look at how people reacted:

Some deliberated how it started..

This @Reuters report from Dec 31 2014: #Pakistan #PSO skips January fuel oil imports for first time. #PetrolShortage http://t.co/EHHAF5haPO
— Mehreen Zahra-Malik (@mehreenzahra) January 20, 2015

...and its effects

What will be the cost of economic losses caused by countrywide paralysis? #PetrolShortage
— Murtaza Solangi (@murtazasolangi) January 19, 2015

People shared their misery

#SherBanoSher DHA PHASE 1 PUMP just before, no place, km long queue only misery pic.twitter.com/K9NANLcxFV
— Hassan Khan (@hassan_k82) January 19, 2015

#PetrolShortage in #Karachi this morning rush in Clifton @adeel_azhar @djsumair pic.twitter.com/nwTGiaaCNv
— Hammad Siddiqui (@hammads) January 20, 2015

Wat is more devastating dan family not being able to attend funeral of their husband/father in another city? #PetrolShortage #PMLNPetrolChor
— SabahatMS (@SabahatMS) January 20, 2015

while some sought DIY (do it yourself) tricks

Google is full of articles on how to make your own fuel & petrol -Chalo Shabash shuru ho jao - surely something will work#PMLNPetrolChor
— Salman (@SalmanJpt) January 19, 2015

Some saw it as an opportunity to boost business...

http://twitter.com/farrukhshaikh/status/556860071875846144

...and cash in for their wishlists

http://twitter.com/waheedgul/status/557241489680764930

Some recalled PML-N's election promises...

Time to share a blast from the past. #PMLNPetrolChor cc @BetterPakistan Sir ji? Is this tajurba and experience? pic.twitter.com/OOGCMdoLm6
— Dr Farhan K Virk (@FarhanKVirk) January 19, 2015

and reacted to Finance Minister Ishaq Dar's claims of it being a conspiracy against the government

http://twitter.com/omarshahid/status/557112300344463360

http://twitter.com/sharmeenochinoy/status/557385385752281088

http://twitter.com/AamnaFasihi/status/557111445326790656

#ishaqDar if Your #Govt is so weak that any one can do conspiracy against you, meaning you have no rights to govern. @DrBabarAwan.
— Nabi Dhansi (@nabidhansi) January 20, 2015

But then there were those who chose to look at the lighter side of things

http://twitter.com/Usman_zfr/status/557127395207946241

Hahahaha! "@Shahzadyounas: Meanwhile In Pakistan these Days #PetrolShortage http://t.co/7uXhsxwazN"
— Aman Malik (@PatrakaarPopat) January 20, 2015

http://twitter.com/ChachiChatters/status/557387493629493248

This story was compiled by Anaam Afridi.

COMMENTS (2)

S!D | 9 years ago | Reply

HAHAHAHA, loved it thoroughly ET.

"the country’s favourite government-bashing platform : Twitter."

salman | 9 years ago | Reply

Lol. Jazba and tajarba! Yeah tajarba of messing things up! Pmln have turned out to be more useless then ever. If only we had an indication of how useless they would be before the election. Oh wait.....

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