The petrol pump owners across Pakistan have announced an indefinite nationwide strike starting from 12:00 AM on Wednesday after talks with the government over the proposed daily fuel price revision system failed to reach an agreement.
The decision was announced by the All Pakistan Petroleum Pump Owners Association, which said petrol pumps throughout the country would remain closed until the government addresses the concerns raised by fuel retailers.
Association Chairman Humayun Khan said petrol pump owners had urged the government to continue the existing monthly petroleum price adjustment system instead of introducing daily price revisions. According to him, frequent changes in fuel prices would create serious operational and financial challenges for dealers, making it difficult to manage daily business activities.
He criticized the government for implementing the new pricing policy without consulting petrol pump owners or including them in the decision-making process. Khan also accused the authorities of overlooking the industry’s concerns while failing to engage in meaningful discussions with stakeholders.
The association has also demanded a review of dealer commissions, arguing that fuel retailers are already operating under increasing financial pressure and need better support to continue serving consumers.
Vice Chairman Nauman Ali Butt confirmed that discussions with the Petroleum Minister failed to produce a solution. He said the proposed shift to a daily petroleum pricing mechanism was unacceptable to petrol pump owners and warned that the industry could not support the policy in its current form.
According to the association, the planned closure of petrol pumps will continue indefinitely unless the government agrees to reconsider the proposed pricing mechanism and address the financial concerns of fuel dealers.
The dispute comes at a time when Pakistan’s petroleum sector is already facing uncertainty over fuel pricing policies. Petrol pump owners say they remain open to dialogue but expect the government to consult industry representatives before introducing major policy changes that directly affect fuel retailers and consumers nationwide.
