Petrol pump owners defer strike call after talks with govt: minister

The All Pakistan Petroleum Pump Owners Association (APPPOA) on Wednesday announced to defer its countrywide strike call for two weeks after successful negotiations with the government.

Addressing the media, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik said that after another round of negotiations with the APPPOA, it was decided to defer the strike call after the government assured stakeholders that their grievances would be addressed within the next two weeks.

“From February 28 till today, the government has used around Rs100 billion to mitigate the impact of rising fuel prices and initiated a subsidy scheme for the most vulnerable section of the society,” said Ali while referring to the actions taken by the government following the outbreak of the US-Iran.

The announcement comes a day after the association announced a nationwide strike from Wednesday night after negotiations with the government over daily petroleum pricing failed.

“The clouds of war are once again gathering over the region, and fuel prices are on the rise,” Malik said, adding that he had discussed the prevailing situation with APPPOA officials, who expressed support for the government’s efforts.

The minister said Pakistan’s civil and military leadership was engaged with both Iranian and US officials in an effort to help de-escalate the conflict.

Addressing the concerns of petrol pump owners, Malik said the issue of dealers’ margins would be resolved through consultations with all stakeholders. He added that a summary on the matter would be presented to the federal cabinet for consideration.

He further said the government would review the daily fuel pricing mechanism with petroleum sector stakeholders after two weeks.

Last week, the minister announced that fuel prices would be revised on a daily basis in response to fluctuations in international oil markets triggered by renewed tensions between Iran and the United States.

During the press conference, Malik also said the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) would begin publishing daily fuel prices on its website from that day, along with a detailed price breakdown in Urdu to enhance transparency.