Petroleum dealers call off nationwide strike

We made this decision immediately due to tourists being stranded in the northern areas, says PPDA Chairman Sami Khan

The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) announced the immediate end of the nationwide petrol pump strike on Friday.

Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, PPDA Chairman Abdul Sami Khan, alongside other officials, declared the decision to suspend the strike.

"We made this decision immediately due to tourists being stranded in the northern areas. Our one-day strike has been successful, but people are suffering because motorbikes can't run," he said.

Khan explained that tourists in Malakand, Swat, and Hazara were among the reasons for ending the strike. "The strike wasn't easy, as the entire government was against it," he added.

Abdul Sami warned that the sale of smuggled petrol in the country is likely to increase, attributing the situation to the government's double taxation policies.

Also read: Petrol pumps partially shut down across country

The association had called an emergency meeting earlier today to decide on the next course of action for their countrywide strike.

PPDA Chairman Abdul Sami Khan stated that no negotiations had taken place with the government or administration.

Earlier in the day, the strike by the petroleum dealers against federal budget taxes saw some petrol stations shut down across many cities and major highways, however, most petrol pumps in major cities including Lahore and Karachi remained operational.

The day-long shutterdown strike called by the owners to protest the taxes introduced in the federal budget of around 13,000 fuel stations nationwide was set to start at 6am today.

Despite many petrol pumps in Karachi remaining closed on Friday morning, some continued operating as usual, especially along Rashid Minhas Road, University Road and Shahrah-e-Faisal.

In contrast, the majority of the fuel stations in Lahore did not observe the strike at all.

The Petroleum Division and the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) have issued directives to keep petrol pumps open.

OGRA spokesperson Imran Ghaznavi affirmed in a joint statement with the Petroleum Division that petroleum products would remain available across the country. "There is an adequate supply of petroleum products in the country," the statement assured.