ISLAMABAD
Fill the tanks of your motorcycles and other vehicles as the Petroleum Dealers Association has announced an indefinite strike before Monday, July 18. The union has summoned a session regarding the strike and negotiations with the government over the dealer’s margin. Petrol pumps cannot operate under the current margin, they claim.
Pakistan Petrol Dealers Association (PPDA) President Asif Gujjar, Information Secretary Jahanzeb Malik and Secretary General Chaudhry Noman Majeed announced an indefinite strike from July 18.
The petroleum dealers demanded that their working capital is triple but the volume of business is the same as before so the profit margin should be increased by six per cent.
The petrol dealers had announced to stage a nationwide strike on July 18 if the government failed to fulfill their demand of fixing the dealer margin at 6%.
They also announced that they will continue the strike and will not open petrol pumps till their demands are fulfilled. “Right now we receive only 3.90 per cent margin after-tax deduction,” they explained.
The association said that the minimum wage of an employee has reached Rs25,000 and prices of other commodities were also increased. The dealers said that the margin should be increased up to 6% due to the increase in the expenditures.
Moreover, banners having the strike call and demands of the PPDA were posed at the petrol pumps of different cities. The government has not contacted the PPDA office-bearers to seek withdrawal of their strike call so far.
However, the PM, addressing the nation on July 14, announced a reduction of Rs18.50 per litre of petrol and diesel by Rs40.54 per litre.
“However, now as the prices are declining in the international market the government has decided to pass on the relief to people and therefore reduced the price of petrol and diesel by Rs18.50 and Rs40.54 per litre, respectively,” he added.
