All Pakistan Petrol Pumps Owners Association (APPPOA) declared a nationwide strike starting Wednesday night after prolonged negotiations with the government failed to resolve disagreements over daily petroleum pricing.
Following a high-level meeting with Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik’s delegation, APPPOA officials confirmed that discussions on the daily fuel pricing model collapsed. The association now faces an indefinite shutdown, citing vital business concerns.
The strike, involving approximately 15,000 petrol stations, was prompted by financial strain from multiple sources, including rigid regulatory demands from the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) and stagnant dealer commission rates over three years.
APPPOA Vice Chairman Nauman Ali Butt emphasized that the government’s push for daily price adjustments were both “unacceptable and impractical” for dealers operating on slim margins. The core demand remains a return to monthly pricing calculations and commission hikes.
Chairman Humayun Khan criticized the government for implementing policy changes without stakeholder consultation, arguing that the daily mechanism benefits oil marketing companies (OMCs) by allowing delayed deliveries during price drops. Khan stressed the urgent need for inclusion of small businesses in policy-making processes.
Separately, the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) is set to announce its stance after an executive meeting. Officials like Malik Khuda Bukhsh revealed that Ogra acknowledged the hasty decision to adopt daily pricing but requested more time to relay dealer concerns to authorities.
While the Petroleum Division claimed productive talks with PPDA—highlighting support for daily pricing based on seven-day international averages—PPDA reiterated its opposition in printed appeals, calling for a review of the model. The ministry had assured PPDA of full backing for the new system during Monday’s briefing, though dealers remain skeptical of its viability.”
