ISLAMABAD: Talks between the government and petroleum dealers have ended without agreement, raising the prospect of a nationwide strike from Saturday.
Negotiations between Federal Petroleum Minister and representatives of the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) continued for around five hours but remained tense, according to sources.
The petroleum dealers’ delegation had issued a 72-hour ultimatum, a move that the petroleum minister reportedly criticised during the talks.
The government also refused to reconsider the existing system for daily adjustments in petroleum product prices, according to the dealers.
However, the government assured the dealers that their margin could be increased by Rs1.34 per litre. The dealers said implementation of the increase was subject to approval by the federal cabinet.
Following the minister’s stance during the negotiations, the dealers’ delegation decided to return to Karachi immediately. The delegation included chairman Malik Khuda Bakhsh, vice-chairman Tariq Hasan and Anwar Kamal.
The association has called an emergency meeting of its executive committee in Karachi to discuss the outcome of the talks and determine its next course of action.
Petroleum dealers have maintained their decision to go on strike and said petrol stations across the country will remain closed from the morning of 15 August if their demands are not addressed.
