The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the government, demanding immediate action to resolve long-standing concerns faced by petroleum dealers across the country.

Association leader Malik Khuda Bakhsh said the government must address the dealers’ issues within 72 hours, warning that it could become impossible for petrol station operators to continue their businesses if their demands are not accepted.

One of the association’s major concerns is the frequent change in petroleum product prices. Malik Khuda Bakhsh said dealers cannot accept a system under which fuel prices are changed on a daily basis and called on the government to review the existing pricing mechanism.

The association has also demanded an increase in the dealers’ margin on petrol to 8 percent. It further called for the removal of allocation restrictions imposed on dealers by oil marketing companies, saying such measures are creating additional difficulties for petrol station operators.

Malik Khuda Bakhsh said petroleum dealers remained in contact with the government, but no final decision had yet been reached on their demands. He warned that dealers’ patience had reached its limit.

The decision to issue the 72-hour ultimatum was reportedly taken by the association’s executive committee following a meeting attended by petroleum dealers from across Pakistan.

The association has made it clear that failure to address its demands could create serious difficulties for petrol stations to continue normal operations.

The government now faces pressure to engage with the dealers and find a solution before the deadline expires, as any disruption to petrol station operations could affect fuel availability and consumers across the country.