ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The All Pakistan Petrol Pump Owners Association (APPPOA) has rejected the federal government’s new petroleum price deregulation policy and warned of a nationwide strike if the decision is not reconsidered.
Association Chairman Noman Ali Butt said petrol pump owners across the country oppose the proposed policy and would consider launching protests and a strike next week if the government proceeds with its implementation.
“If the decision is not withdrawn, they will consider protesting and striking next week,” Butt said.
He urged the government to review its policy, saying the burden of the new system should not be shifted onto petrol pump owners.
Butt said all stakeholders, including petrol pump owners, should be taken into confidence before fixing fuel prices with oil marketing companies (OMCs), adding that around 15,000 petrol pump owners nationwide have expressed serious concerns.
Butt warned that the new policy will affect oil tankers, transportation, and the petroleum pricing system, calling on the government to consult petrol pump owners instead of making unilateral decisions.
The statement came after the federal government implemented a daily review mechanism for petroleum product rates.
New pricing mechanism
Addressing a press conference earlier today, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik said the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) will determine the fuel prices daily based on the international market and will be updated on its website
“The decision was taken by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the federal cabinet,” he added.
He 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.
He further said that the daily price review will be decided according to a seven-day weekly average in the international market.
