KARACHI: The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) has convened an emergency meeting on Monday to decide whether to launch a nationwide strike and shut down petrol pumps or continue negotiations with the government, following the expiry of the 15-day deadline agreed upon between petroleum dealers and the Ministry of Petroleum.
Two week earlier, Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik had requested petroleum dealers for a period of 15 days to resolve their issues, assuring them that all their demands would be addressed within that period. However, despite the expiry of the deadline, the growing concerns of petroleum dealers remain unresolved.
Following the lapse of the deadline, the PPDA has sent an urgent letter to Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik, urging him to fulfil his commitment and ensure immediate progress on the outstanding issues.
Malik Khuda Bakhsh Chairman PPDA has said that the daily petroleum price adjustment mechanism has pushed dealers into severe financial difficulties. He said that daily price fluctuations are causing losses on existing fuel stocks while seriously affecting dealers’ working capital.
He said that the federal government has addressed only one of the five demands, while the remaining issues remain unresolved. Therefore, the association has convened a meeting to decide its future course of action.
PPDA Vice Chairman Tariq Hassan said that it has become increasingly difficult for small and medium-sized petroleum dealers to sustain their businesses. He warned that if the issues remain unresolved, the supply of petroleum products across the country could be disrupted.
Another PPDA Vice Chairman, Anwar Kamal, said the association does not seek confrontation with the government but wants a practical and workable solution to its problems. He added that the PPDA has urged the Federal Minister for Petroleum to personally intervene and take immediate decisions to resolve the dealers’ grievances.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026