Petroleum dealers end strike after successful negotiations with govt

Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) has called off its nationwide strike after successful negotiations with the government over their demand to revise profit margin, reported Aaj News on Thursday.

The government has decided to increase dealers profit margin by Rs0.99 per litre as part of the agreement made with the PPDA.

Long queues at fuel stations ahead of dealers' strike-call

Most of the fuel stations across the country stopped selling fuel on Thursday after the PPDA announced a strike to protest against low-profit margins.

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry also confirmed the news in a Twitter post.

Earlier, while talking to Business Recorder, the PPDA’s Secretary Noman Butt said around 8,000 petrol stations will close at 6 am from Thursday for an indefinite period across the country, including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

He further said that the association was engaged with the secretary Petroleum Division; however, the government is yet to notify revised margin on dealers.

“We will not call off the strike till the issuance of notification of revised margin by six percent,” he added.

Amid strike-call, PSO and Shell say these petrol stations are still operating

He maintained that the Petroleum Division has continued to ignore their demands, adding that they would not hold talks with the authorities till their profit margins on the sale of petroleum products are not increased.

In a statement, spokesperson Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) stated that the authority has taken serious notice of people/entities who are trying to disrupt oil supplies on the pretext of an increase in dealer margin.

“All Oil Marketing Companies have been advised to ensure uninterrupted oil supplies at the retail outlets and OGRA enforcement teams are infield to ensure the same. Anyone involved in oil disruptions causing public inconvenience shall be dealt strictly in accordance with OGRA laws,” the spokesperson added.

Earlier today, Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar urged the owners of petrol pumps to revisit their decision, also warning that their illegitimate demands will not be accepted.

In a statement, Azhar assured the petroleum dealers that their genuine demands will be accepted, adding that a summary has already been forwarded to the Economic Coordination Committee regarding an increase in their profit margins, according to Radio Pakistan.

The minister informed that the decision on the matter will be taken in the next meeting of the Committee but stressed that illegitimate demands will not be accepted.

"Some groups want to use this strike to have a raise of nine rupees. A nine-rupee raise cannot be granted just to benefit a few companies," he said.