The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) has called off their strike, leading to the reopening of petrol pumps across the country.
At a press conference in Karachi, PPDA Chairman Abdul Sami Khan, along with other officials, declared the suspension of the strike. “We made this decision immediately due to tourists being stranded in the northern areas. Our one-day strike has been successful, but people are suffering because motorbikes can’t run,” he stated.
Khan highlighted the plight of tourists in Malakand, Swat, and Hazara as a significant factor in ending the strike. “The strike wasn’t easy, as the entire government was against it,” he added.
Abdul Sami also warned that the sale of smuggled petrol in the country might increase, attributing this to the government’s double taxation policies.
On Friday, numerous fuel stations across Pakistan were closed due to the strike called by petroleum dealers against new taxation measures.
The Pakistani government has set a challenging revenue collection target to secure an International Monetary Fund bailout but faces public anger over new taxes, including those on dealers, introduced in the recent annual budget. The Petroleum Ministry stated that regulators and oil marketing companies (OMCs) have been advised to ensure their sites remain operational with sufficient stocks of petroleum products to minimize the impact of the strike.
