Petroleum dealers have announced an indefinite petrol pump strike in Pakistan from August 15, warning that fuel stations across the country will remain closed until their demands are addressed.
The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association announced the decision on Tuesday following a meeting of dealers from across the country. The development comes amid an ongoing wheel-jam strike by goods transporters.
Association Chairman Malik Khuda Baksh said dealers have given the government a 72-hour ultimatum to resolve their concerns. He warned that petrol pump owners would be unable to continue operations if their demands were not accepted.
The dealers are seeking an 8% margin on petrol, saying their existing earnings are insufficient amid changes in the fuel pricing system. Baksh said the association was facing pressure from around 14,000 members across the country.
According to the association, the government had previously been given two weeks to address the dealers’ concerns, but the deadline expired without a satisfactory resolution. Dealers subsequently informed the government about the growing pressure within their ranks.
The planned petrol pump strike in Pakistan follows an earlier decision to postpone a nationwide shutdown. On July 22, dealers delayed their strike for two weeks after talks with Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, who assured them that their long-standing concerns would be addressed.
The association has also called for a review of the mechanism used to determine fuel prices, particularly the daily pricing system. With the August 15 deadline approaching, negotiations between the government and petroleum dealers will determine whether the nationwide shutdown goes ahead.
