PESHAWAR: Petroleum pump owners and dealers have rejected the proposed petroleum deregulation policy, stating that policy was destruction for underprivileged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and vowed to resist it at every forum.
Speaking at a news conference at press club on Tuesday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Petroleum Dealers Association Chairman Gul Nawaz Afridi, senior vice chairman Jan Alam Khan along with office bearers and members stated that the government’s proposed policy was economic murder of petrol pump owners and would encourage illegal sale of petroleum products.
They expressed fear that petroleum companies would form such a mafia, which would jointly determine prices of medicines, fertilizers, property dealers.
We strongly oppose the federal government’s plan to deregulate petroleum products, dealers said, and warned that such a move would lead to a massive hike in petrol prices across the country.
They said the proposed petroleum deregulation policy is unacceptable and urged the government to address apprehensions of petroleum dealers before the implementation of the proposed policy.
The petroleum dealers described the policy as a disaster for disadvantaged regions of the KP province. They briefed reporters about key points of the deregulation plan, which include consumers will leave on mercy of petroleum companies, without regulating by government, deregulation encourage cheating in petrol market, and tax revenue loss to government, increase in transportation charges, price-hike, reduction in oil reserve for country’s defence, eliminate transparency in petroleum field and promote culture of cheating/looting in oil market.
Gul Nawaz said the government should sense the gravity of the situation and hold meaningful talks with petroleum dealers, otherwise, they will be forced to go for a country-wide protest against it.
Jan Alam Mehsud warned the government of an increase of illegal sale of petrol and diesel with imposition of the deregulation policy and owners of legal petrol pumps will force to shut down filling stations and emphasized that dealers are united on this crucial matter.
Akthar Nawaz condemned the proposed deregulation plan and made it clear that petroleum dealers will take every step for protection of their legitimate rights.
The association patron in chief Engr Maqsood Anwar Pervez, Amjad Ali Shinwari, information secretary Qari Najeeb, Vice Chairman Mian Ali Jan and Hazrat Shah were also spoke on the occasion, demanded of the government to immediate hold talks with petroleum dealers and remove their grievances.
The petroleum dealers warned they will go for a countrywide strike, if demands were not accepted till March 4.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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