Petroleum dealers issue 72-hour ultimatum over govt's failure to fulfil promises

The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) has given the government 72 hours to act, according to Dawn, after accusing it of not honouring promises made by the petroleum minister. The main grievance is the demand for a retail petrol margin of 8 per cent. If the demands are not met, petrol pumps across the country will shut indefinitely from 6am on Saturday, August 15, and remain closed until the issues are settled.

PPDA Chairman Malik Khuda Bakhsh, speaking at a press conference with senior office-bearers, said dealers would be unable to keep trading unless the government accepted their demands. He explained that the position followed a nationwide meeting of dealers, which decided to press for the 8 per cent margin. More than 14,000 members were urging the association to act, and the dealers' patience has run out.

On August 7, the chairman raised the concerns of dealers with Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, who had earlier asked the association to defer a strike and promised a review within two weeks. Dealers say the daily price mechanism has caused inventory losses and drained working capital, while the existing commission does not cover inflation, power and gas bills or staff salaries. The association has also called the Company Allocation Policy discriminatory and has demanded that it be reviewed without delay so it becomes open and fair.