Petrol pump owners announce nationwide strike after daily pricing talks fail
The All Pakistan Petrol Pumps Owners Association (APPPOA) has announced an indefinite nationwide strike from Wednesday night. The decision came after negotiations with the government over the proposed daily petroleum pricing system failed.
The talks were held between APPPOA representatives and a government team led by Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik. According to the association, the meeting lasted about an hour but ended without any breakthrough.
APPPOA Chairman Humayun Khan, Vice Chairman Nauman Ali Butt and other officials represented petrol pump owners during the discussions. After the meeting, they said they had no choice but to announce a strike because the issue directly affects their businesses.
Nauman Ali Butt said the proposed daily fuel pricing system is “unacceptable to petrol pump dealers and unworkable”. He added that dealers want fuel prices to continue being announced on a monthly basis.
He also said petrol pump dealers have been waiting for an increase in their commission for the past three years. According to the association, the commission has remained unchanged despite rising business costs.
Chairman Humayun Khan said petrol pump owners are already under financial pressure because of policies, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) regulations and issues involving oil marketing companies. He warned that introducing daily fuel prices would make business even more difficult.
Khan argued that the daily pricing system would mainly benefit oil marketing companies. He claimed companies could delay fuel deliveries when prices fall and take advantage of advance billing.
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He also criticised the government for introducing the proposal without consulting petrol pump owners. According to him, small private businesses should be included before major policy decisions are finalised.
The APPPOA chairman said around 15,000 petrol pumps across Pakistan are expected to remain closed from Thursday if the strike continues. He urged the government to reconsider the daily pricing plan, increase dealer commissions and involve stakeholders in future decisions.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) has not yet announced a final decision on joining the strike. Its executive committee is expected to meet on Wednesday to decide its next course of action.
PPDA Senior Adviser Malik Khuda Bukhsh also described the proposed daily pricing system as “not possible and unacceptable”. However, he said Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik asked the association to present its concerns to Ogra.
According to Khuda Bukhsh, Ogra officials listened to the dealers’ concerns and requested seven days to discuss them with the government. He said Ogra also urged the association to remain patient before making any final decision on industrial action.
The Petroleum Division, however, issued a different statement after the meeting. It claimed that discussions with the PPDA were successful and that the association supported the government’s policy.
The ministry said the new pricing system would be based on a seven-day rolling average of international oil prices. It added that daily price updates would improve transparency, reduce market distortions and better reflect changes in global fuel prices.
Despite the government’s statement, the PPDA has published an appeal asking authorities to “review” the proposed 24-hour fuel price adjustment mechanism. The difference in positions has kept uncertainty over the future of the policy.
The disagreement shows that both the government and petrol dealers have different views on how fuel prices should be managed. If no compromise is reached soon, the strike could affect fuel supplies and create inconvenience for consumers across Pakistan.
