Petroleum dealers to shut pumps from Aug 15 as talks fail

Talks between petroleum dealers and the government have failed, making a nationwide indefinite strike by petrol dealers from 6am on Saturday, August 15, increasingly likely.

The five-hour negotiations between a delegation of the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA), led by Chairman Malik Khuda Bakhsh, and Federal Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik remained tense.

The petroleum minister expressed displeasure over the 72-hour ultimatum issued by the dealers, according to the association.

PPDA Chairman Malik Khuda Bakhsh said the government refused to change the system of daily adjustments in petroleum product prices during the talks. However, the government assured the dealers that it would consider increasing their margin by Rs1.34 per litre, subject to approval by the federal cabinet.

According to the association, the dealers' delegation decided to immediately return to Karachi following the minister's stance and called an emergency meeting of its executive committee.
Petroleum dealers' representatives said they remained firm on their decision to go on strike from Saturday morning.