Petroleum dealers announce closure of pumps from August 15

Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) has given the government a 72-hour ultimatum to accept its five-point demands, announcing that petrol pumps across the country will remain closed indefinitely from 6am on August 15 if the demands are not met.

PPDA Chairman Malik Khuda Bakhsh made the announcement at a press conference. He said the decision had been taken due to mounting pressure from around 14,000 petroleum dealers across the country.

He added that the association had initially given the government two weeks to address their concerns, but the deadline had passed. Khuda Bakhsh said that the government had subsequently been informed through a letter that dealers had run out of patience and were under increasing pressure.

He said the PPDA had called off its planned strike 15 days ago as a goodwill gesture, believing that the government was serious about resolving their issues.

PPDA Vice Chairman Tariq Hasan said the 72-hour deadline would expire at 6am on Saturday, August 15. If issues including the dealers' commission, changes to the 24-hour pricing mechanism and the company allocation policy were not resolved, petrol pumps nationwide would be shut indefinitely from that time.