The Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers Association (PVMA) announced its decision to continue its nationwide strike for an indefinite period on Monday, sparking fears that prices of ghee and cooking oil might spike due to serious shortages in the markets. Ghee and cooking oil millers have been on strike since February 18.
The announcement comes on the heels of an altercation involving the National Logistics Cell (NLC), in which four tankers of the NLC carrying edible oil were burnt at Port Qasim.
While addressing a press conference, PVMA Chairman Abdul Wahid Sheikh demanded that the government provide security to consignments of ghee and cooking oil across the country. He said that the industry was paying Rs90 billion in the form of direct and indirect taxes. He alleged that the local government administration had completely failed to provide any security to oil transporters.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 21st, 2012.
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