The All Pakistan Petroleum Pump Owners Association has announced that petrol pumps across Pakistan will shut down from 12:00 AM on Wednesday for an indefinite period after talks with the government failed.
The association said it held several discussions with government officials about the proposed plan to change petroleum prices every day. However, both sides could not reach an agreement, which led the association to call for a nationwide strike.
Association Chairman Humayun Khan said petrol pump owners want the government to continue the current system of changing fuel prices once every month. According to him, introducing daily price changes will make it much harder for petrol pump owners to manage their businesses. He said frequent price changes will create operational problems, increase workload, and make it difficult for dealers to manage fuel stock and daily sales.
Humayun Khan also said the government introduced the new pricing policy without consulting petrol pump owners. He criticized the authorities for ignoring the concerns of fuel dealers and claimed that the public was not being given the complete picture. He urged the government to hold proper discussions with the association and solve the problems through mutual understanding.
Association Vice Chairman Nauman Ali Butt also opposed the government’s plan to introduce daily fuel price revisions. He confirmed that the meeting with the petroleum minister ended without any positive result, leaving the association with no choice but to announce the strike.
The association is also demanding an increase in dealer commissions, saying petrol pump owners are already facing financial pressure due to rising business costs. They believe that without better commissions and a stable pricing system, it will become even more difficult to keep their businesses running.
Following the unsuccessful negotiations, the association announced that petrol pumps across the country will remain closed from midnight on Wednesday. The shutdown will continue until the government accepts their demands or reaches a new agreement with the association through fresh talks. Customers are advised to fill their fuel tanks in advance as the strike could affect fuel availability across the country.
