The Pakistan Petrol Pump Owners Association has rejected the government’s proposed petroleum price deregulation policy, urging authorities to reconsider the plan and consult all stakeholders before its implementation.
Chairman of the All Pakistan Petrol Pump Owners Association Nauman Ali Butt said the association does not accept the proposed deregulation policy and called on the government to review its decision.
He stressed that petrol pump owners should not be made to bear the burden of problems arising from the new pricing mechanism.
Butt said all stakeholders should be taken into confidence before fuel prices are finalized in consultation with oil marketing companies (OMCs).
He added that nearly 15,000 petrol pump owners across the country have expressed serious concerns over the proposed policy.
He warned that the new pricing framework could affect the operations of oil tankers, fuel transportation and the overall fuel pricing system.
He urged the government to engage with petrol pump owners instead of making unilateral decisions.
Earlier on Friday, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik announced that the government was moving towards the deregulation of petroleum products.
He said the federal cabinet had decided to authorize the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) to determine petroleum prices on a daily basis.
The minister said OGRA would set fuel prices according to movements in the international oil market, adding that the petroleum levy and carbon support levy on petrol and diesel currently remain lower than previous levels.
