Shafaq News- Diyala
Recurring gasoline shortages in Iraq's Diyala province aredisrupting the livelihoods of taxi drivers and forcing residents to changetheir daily routines, as long hours spent searching for fuel reduce incomes andstrain transportation.
Ghassan Al-Zuhairi, a taxi driver, told Shafaq News on Sundaythat fuel had been readily available in previous years, but the crisis hasbecome a persistent problem in recent months with no government solution insight. When the gauge drops to a quarter of a tank, my entire day changes, hesaid. "Instead of thinking about work, I start calling colleagues andchecking WhatsApp groups to find out which station has gasoline. Sometimes Ivisit several stations and still return without filling the tank."
According to taxi driver Ayad Al-Taie, many drivers areconsidering raising fares to offset the time and costs associated with the shortage."When you lose hours of your day moving between gas stations, it's onlynatural to try to recover part of that loss."
The Head of the Energy Committee at the Diyala ProvincialCouncil, Faris Muzahim, attributed the deficiency to inadequate allocations, asthe province receives around 1.1 million liters of gasoline per day, while itsdaily demand reaches 1.5 million liters. The provincial council has repeatedlyasked the Oil Ministry to increase Diyala's allocation.
Additionally, Diyala's strategic location contributes tohigher fuel consumption because it serves as a transit route linking Baghdadwith the Kurdistan Region and is crossed by large numbers of travelers andpilgrims arriving from Iran on their way to Iraq's holy shrines.
He warned that the gasoline shortage has evolved beyond aservice problem into an economic challenge affecting market activity andhousehold incomes, calling for higher fuel allocations, more efficientdistribution, strategic reserves, and tighter oversight to prevent black marketsales.
