ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The All Pakistan Petrol Pump Owners Association (APPPOA) has announced an indefinite nationwide closure of petrol pumps from midnight tomorrow.
The announcement was made after the failure of negotiations with the Ministry of Petroleum over the government’s new daily fuel pricing mechanism.
In a video statement issued by General Secretary APPPOA, Noman Ali Butt said that changes in the prices of petroleum products daily are not acceptable under any circumstances, rejecting the government’s new decision of a daily price mechanism.
Butt added that petrol pumps across the country will remain closed for an indefinite period from 12 midnight tomorrow, July 22.
وفاقی وزیرِ پیٹرولیم اور پٹرول پمپ اونرز ایسوسی ایشن کے مذاکرات ناکام
آل پاکستان پٹرول پمپ اونرز ایسوسی ایشن کا ملک گیر غیر معینہ مدت کی ہڑتال کا اعلان،نعمان علی بٹ
22 جولائی رات 12 بجے سے ملک بھر کے تمام پٹرول پمپ بند رکھنے کی ہدایت،نعمان علی بٹ pic.twitter.com/TXdlNQhvI8— Sheraz Ahmad Sherazi (@Sherazi_Silmian) July 21, 2026
He further appealed to the petrol pump owners to participate fully in the strike and maintain unity and ensure peaceful protest.
The association officials have demanded that the government take a positive and acceptable decision on the legitimate demands of the petrol pump owners. Otherwise, the nationwide strike will continue until the demands are approved, he maintained.
New pricing mechanism
The strike call came after the federal government implemented a daily review mechanism for petroleum product rates.
On July 17, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik said the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) will now issue ex-depot prices of petrol and high-speed diesel daily based on the international market and will be updated on its website.
Under the new mechanism, OGRA will determine the new prices based on a seven-day weekly average in the international market, while the prices already issued on Saturdays and Sundays will remain unchanged.
Malik further said that the cabinet has decided to bring transparency to the entire fuel price system, stating that “Ogra would not just publish the fuel rates on its website, but also publish the factors leading to the price that we see in each petrol pump.”
“The interests of all stakeholders will be taken into consideration with transparency, whether the price will fall or rise, or relief will be transferred to the people immediately,” Malik said.
