ISLAMABAD: The talks between the government and Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association ended in a success which has led to the strike being called off.
“The talks between the government and petroleum dealers association have led to the strike being called off,” Hammad Azhar, Minister of Energy said in a Tweet on Thursday night.
Earlier, the petroleum dealers association observed a shutdown strike on Thursday for raising profit margin on sale of petroleum products.
Most of the fuel pumps were remained closed during the day. Even those pumps owned by Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) which announced to open their outlets, were also closed for the shortage of stock.
The energy minister in his Tweet said that the government will notify 0.99 paisa increase in their margins after due approval from the cabinet as per the existing summary. “After six months we will move to % (per cent) system up to 4.4 per cent margin,” he added.
Earlier, PPDA Chairman Abdul Sami Khan said petroleum dealers had been in a difficult position due to the high cost of business and low margins. He said that the government guarantees a margin of only 2 per cent on sales of fuel oil in the face of rising electricity tariffs.
“We demand the government to cancel our petrol pumps licenses,” he said, adding that nearly 50 per cent of the petrol pumps will close down permanently with license cancellation as no one will reapply for acquisition.
“Immediate increase on ex-depot price in dealers’ margin for HSD and MS without burdening common people and without increasing prices of petroleum products, absorbing dealers’ margin increase by reducing Sales Tax and PDL,” he demanded.
A day earlier, Gas & Oil Pakistan Company Limited (GO), with the largest retail outlet network of 1,000 outlets in the private sector and the largest network of company-owned, company-operated (COCO) outlets in Pakistan assured the customers that all its outlets would remain open and continue to function normally.
“GO remains firm in its commitment to fulfilling the fueling needs of the nation come what may,” the company said in a tweet.
Shell Pakistan also announced to open its outlet to serve the nation. “Shell Pakistan announces that they will not participate in the strike on November 25, 2021,” according to the company. All the company-operated retail stations will be opened to serve the customers, it added.
Hascol, another OMC, assured that all its owned and company-operated (COCO) stations, including all service stations on the M2 Lahore-Islamabad Motorway will remain open and ready to serve them as per routine.
Pakistan State Oil (PSO) also showed its commitment that all COCO stations will remain open nationwide and continue to function normally. “PSO is committed to serving the nation during such challenging time,” it said.
