The government has increased the petroleum dealers’ margin by Rs. 1.34 per litre, taking the total margin to Rs. 10. The Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) has postponed its planned strike after receiving the government’s assurance.
Speaking at an emergency press conference in Karachi, PPDA Chairman Malik Khuda Bakhsh said Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik contacted him after tense negotiations in Islamabad and informed him that the prime minister had approved the increase. He said the government had also forwarded the summary to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC).
The PPDA had demanded an 8% margin for petroleum dealers. Khuda Bakhsh said the government has formed a joint committee to examine the demand, with the committee expected to submit its recommendations within 30 days.
He said the association postponed Saturday’s planned strike based on the government’s assurances. However, he warned that dealers would continue their protest if their remaining demands were not addressed.
Khuda Bakhsh also said the government had submitted a new summary to the prime minister proposing changes to the frequency of petroleum price revisions. Under the proposal, prices could return to a seven- or 15-day revision cycle instead of the current daily adjustments, following a reduction in tensions surrounding the Middle East conflict.
PPDA Vice Chairman Tariq Hassan said dealers had not received an increase in their margin for three years. He claimed that around $50 million belonging to petroleum dealers remained outstanding with the government.
Vice Chairman Anwar Kamal said the government had given petrol stations across Pakistan until March 23, 2027, to complete the digitisation process. He said Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) would oversee the process.
According to Kamal, Pakistan has around 14,000 petrol stations, but only about 10% have completed digitisation so far.
The press conference was attended by PPDA Vice Chairman Malik Sher Khan, Tariq Hassan, Anwar Kamal, Karachi Division President Saeed Khan and other association representatives.
