Situation escalates: Dealers call strike against daily fuel pricing

Karachi: Two major petroleum dealers’ associations of the country have parted their ways over the issue of a strike against the one-day pricing mechanism of petroleum product. The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association has convened a central meeting in Karachi tomorrow to reach a decision, whereas the All Pakistan Petrol Pumps Owners Association has announced a strike commencing at midnight on July 22.

Petroleum dealers remain adamant in their refusal to accept the daily pricing strategy; despite repeated meetings between Federal Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz and representatives of petroleum dealers from Karachi and Lahore, the government has failed to persuade them to agree to the daily price determination.

Meanwhile, representatives of petroleum dealers held back-to-back meetings with the OGRA Chairman and the Petroleum Secretary, during which they expressed strong reservations regarding government decisions. According to the PPDA, OGRA has requested a seven-day grace period regarding the daily determination of prices.

Haji Ameer Khan, Chairman of the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (Sindh), told The Karachi Post that a central meeting of the association has been convened in Karachi to decide whether to go on strike, or grant OGRA the requested seven-day extension. He added that the demand to increase the dealer margin to 8 percent was also raised during the meetings.

It should be noted that the Oil Companies Advisory Council (OCAC)—the representative body of oil marketing companies—has supported the government’s decision, while the Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance has announced its support for the All Pakistan Petrol Pumps Owners Association.