Farming hit by diesel shortage.

BAHAWALPUR -- Acute shortage of petrol persists even two weeks after the government announced reduction in prices of petroleum products.

The hard-hit are motorcyclists and rickshaw drivers who face a great deal of inconvenience. Some filling stations which do sell the commodity see long queues where bikers are given petrol worth Rs 50 only, rickshaws Rs 100 and up to Rs 200 to cars, and that too after a long wait.

The situation is worse in rural areas where diesel shortage has affected sowing of cotton and some other seasonal crops.

To get petrol for their bikes, farmers travel to nearby urban towns in hope of...