MARDAN: Residents are forced to purchase petrol at Rs120 to Rs150 per litre owing to shortage of petroleum products in different parts of the district, it is learnt.

Petrol mafia is blamed for exploiting the situation and selling the products at high prices. People have no option but to buy petrol at the prices demanded by the sellers.

Haji Farman Ghani, a social worker and resident of Mardan city, told Dawn that the district had been facing shortage of petroleum products for last several days, but the local administration was silent over the issue and did not take action against those who had created artificial shortage of petrol.

“We lodged complaints with relevant officials time and again demanding solution of the issue but these complaints fell on deaf ears and no heed was paid to the matter.

Farman Ghani said people were so perturbed over the shortage of petrol that they were now planning to come onto the roads. Mobile phone of the deputy commissioner didn’t respond when this correspondent tried to make contact with him for his comments on the issue.