KARACHI: President of the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) Muhammad Ikram Rajput has urged the government to review petroleum pricing mechanism and introduce a transparent and predictable system under which prices are determined either on a monthly basis or every 15 days.
Such a mechanism, he said, would enable industrialists, traders and transporters to better estimate their costs and make more effective business decisions.
Welcoming the goods transporters decision to defer the nationwide strike for 40 days following successful negotiations between government representatives and transporters, describing it as an important and positive development for the national economy, industry, trade and continuity of the supply chain, Rajput extended special appreciation to the Prime Minister, saying the prime minister had played an effective role in addressing the longstanding issues of the transport sector and helping resolve the current crisis.
The KATI president said the nine-day strike by goods transporters had severely disrupted industrial and commercial activities, exports, imports, supply chains and overall business operations across the country.
“Goods transportation is a fundamental pillar of economic activity in Pakistan. When the wheels of transportation stop, the impact is felt across the entire economy. Therefore, efforts to end the disruption through negotiations are highly commendable,” he said.
Rajput said the business and industrial community, along with transporters across the country, also had serious reservations about the existing mechanism for determining petroleum product prices.
He said frequent and unpredictable changes in petroleum prices increased production, transportation and business costs while making long-term planning difficult for industry and trade.
The KATI president said that the government must ensure timely implementation of all commitments and decisions agreed upon during the negotiations so that the transporters’ issues could be resolved on a permanent basis and similar nationwide strikes or supply chain disruptions could be avoided in the future.
Rajput said Pakistan could not afford prolonged economic disruptions amid prevailing regional and global circumstances. He urged all stakeholders to fulfil their responsibilities while keeping the national interest above all other considerations.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026