Following a nationwide strike by the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) on Thursday against the government’s failure to increase its profit margins, Energy Minister Hammad Azhar said their legitimate demands would be accepted, but warned that a hike of Rs. Those demanding will be disappointed.
Azhar said he was aware of the problems faced by petrol pump owners as he reminded them that a summary for increasing their profit margins was already with the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) and the matter would be taken up in the next meeting. will be resolved.
The Minister urged the dealers to reconsider their strike on the basis of inconvenience being caused to the general public.
He, however, clarified that the government will not accept any illegitimate demand.
“Some groups want to use this strike to raise Rs 9,” the minister said. “The increase of nine rupees cannot be given to benefit only a few companies.”
“While legitimate demands will be accepted, illegitimate demands will not be accepted,” the minister said.
Stakeholder meeting underway
A meeting is going on between representatives of all major oil marketing companies, petroleum dealers and officials of the Petroleum Department.
A spokesperson of the division said, “The petroleum division has forwarded its recommendations regarding profit margins to dealers to the ECC.” own meeting.
The spokesperson said that dealers’ margins have seen a regular increase, the last of which was given in April. He urged the Dealers Association to prove their responsibility in the larger interest of the country.
The spokesperson claimed that there is no shortage of petroleum products in the country and it was business as usual at the fuel stations of all major companies.
situation across the country
Privately owned petrol stations ceased operations across the country today in pursuance of the PPDA’s call, although the state-owned stations of Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and some other companies including Shell and Haskoll are still operational, according to the ministry. energy.
In Peshawar, some PSO stations were open, while most were closed. Long queues were formed outside a select few which were still operational.
According to Qayyumuddin, President of Balochistan Petroleum Association, all petrol pumps will remain closed till the demand of the dealers is met.
Meanwhile, Lahore Deputy Commissioner Umar Sher Chatha said that 62 petrol stations of various companies, including PSOs, are open for motorists across the city.
Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) spokesperson Imran Ghaznavi said the authority is in touch with oil marketing companies to ensure uninterrupted supply of petroleum products.
“Ogra teams are in touch with stakeholders and are engaged in smooth delivery,” he tweeted.
PPDA announces strike
The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) announced earlier this week that all petrol stations across the country would remain closed on November 25 (today), which they called for the government’s alleged backlash on its promise to hike petroleum commissions. did.
However, the handout issued by the association did not specify when the strike would end. When don.com Contacted PPDA chairman Abdul Sami Khan for clarity on the matter, he declined to give a definitive answer and said a final decision would be taken today.
According to the PPDA handout, a meeting of petrol dealers took place at the hotel in Lahore’s Faleti on Saturday, where it was noted that the government had promised to increase dealers’ profit margins three years ago.
“The promise is still unfulfilled… [and] now, because of [growing] With inflation and rise in the prices of petroleum products, it has become difficult for the dealers to run the fuel stations,” the press release read.
It states that the dealers have previously strike call from November 5 but was withdrawn After this a government party led by Energy Minister Hammad Azhar held a meeting with him on 3 November and agreed to fulfill his demands.
according to a dawn report goodA committee was also constituted under the chairmanship of Dr. Arshad Mahmood, Secretary, Petroleum, in the meeting and involved stakeholders to ensure implementation of the margin enhancement agreement through approval from the ECC and the Federal Cabinet by November 15. .
At that meeting, the press release said, “the government had agreed to increase the profit margin by six per cent and sought time till November 17 to implement the decision”.
“The dealers continued to supply petroleum products in public interest, but five days have elapsed from the scheduled date of November 17 and the government representatives are not showing seriousness,” the statement said.
Government says petrol will be available at all major outlets
On the other hand, a spokesperson of the Petroleum Ministry had said last night that it had sent a summary to the ECC to enhance the profit margins of dealers and was awaiting approval.
He said the ministry is working on increasing the profit margins of oil marketing companies and dealers, adding that the federal cabinet will take a decision in this regard within ten days.
“Fuel will be available at all Pakistan State Oil (PSO), Shell and Total stations in the country,” he said, adding that oil tankers were sent to these stations.
The power ministry said the petrol products would be available at “company operated” pumps of PSO, Gas & Oil Pakistan Ltd, Haskoll and Shell.