Petrol pumps across the country to remain closed for 24 hours from 6am on Thursday to 6am on Friday as the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) announced a strike on Wednesday in protest against the government’s decision to implement daily revisions in petroleum product prices.
The announcement followed a meeting with the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), after which dealers said they had unanimously decided to suspend operations nationwide.
The association maintains that daily price adjustments are impractical for fuel retailers and could create operational and financial difficulties.
Under the new pricing mechanism, OGRA updates petroleum prices every day on its website based on a rolling seven-day average of international oil prices.
The government says the policy is aimed at improving transparency and ensuring that changes in global fuel prices are passed on to consumers more quickly.
Also read: Goods transporters threaten countrywide strike over fuel price hike
The strike comes after talks between the government and the All Pakistan Petrol Pumps Owners Association (APPPOA) failed to produce an agreement. The APPPOA has endorsed the nationwide shutdown and said sections of the transport sector would also join the protest.
The Pakistan Mini Mazda Goods Transport Association has announced support for the strike by suspending vehicle operations, citing rising financial losses.
