Govt to resolve petroleum dealers' problems

ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter of Petroleum Dealers Association has called upon the government to take serious steps for resolving their problems.

“If our problems persist to continue then millions of people employed in petroleum retail business could lost their jobs", Haji Waheedur Rehman, the association's office bearer said in a press conference at National Press Club here on Thursday.

He said the government should allow petrol filling stations' owner to set up CNG stations by lifting ban on granting licences for CNG connection.

He said that 90 percent of transport had converted to the CNG for being cheaper fuel while rates of the petrol and diesel were going up.

As a result, petroleum dealers' business was going to collapse and its employees would lose their jobs.

He said difference between CNG prices and petrol should be minimizing to encourage people to use the petrol, which would help promote the petroleum business, he added.

He said deregulation policy had also added to problems of the petroleum business especially in underdeveloped areas, as transporters at remote areas had to pay extra for fuel for being far-off locality of depots.

He said monthly revision of petroleum products was source of uncertainty and confusion among petroleum dealers.

Thus, he added the government should revert to the annual review of the prices of the petroleum products to enable filling stations' owners to run their business without any fear or uncertainty.

He said the petrol pumps' owners pay tax of Rs 200,000 on a single lorry-tanker while total taxes amounted to four billion rupees daily to national kitty.

He said the commission for dealers who were presently getting commission of Rs 1.5 in Rs100 per litter, should be enhanced to enable them to conveniently pay utility bills and earn respectable profit.

While every pump, he added, paid tax upto Rs 100,000 to labour department and NHA every year, but even then the petrol dealers business was ignored.

Replying to a question, he said if the demands were not fulfilled, the association would continue raising voice on every forum.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011