Petrol pump owners across Pakistan have announced a nationwide strike after talks with the government failed over the proposed daily fuel pricing mechanism.
_x000D_The All Pakistan Petrol Pumps Owners Association (APPPOA) said fuel stations nationwide will close from Wednesday night. The group argues that the new pricing model is impractical and will hurt dealers.
_x000D_APPPOA General Secretary Nauman Butt said the association rejected the proposal because daily fuel price changes would confuse both businesses and customers.
_x000D_Talks with Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik ended without an agreement. As a result, the association decided to launch a nationwide protest.
_x000D_ _x000D_Government Defends Daily Fuel Pricing
_x000D_The government says the new pricing system will improve transparency by reflecting global fuel prices more quickly.
_x000D_Under the proposal, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) will calculate petrol and diesel prices using the average international rates from the previous seven days.
_x000D_Officials believe the system will make fuel pricing more responsive to changes in global energy markets.
_x000D_ _x000D_Dealers Yet to Reach Final Decision
_x000D_Meanwhile, the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) has not announced whether it will join the strike.
_x000D_The association plans to make its final decision on Wednesday after consulting its members.
_x000D_ _x000D_Government Offers Further Talks
_x000D_Officials from the Petroleum Division say they remain willing to negotiate with fuel dealers.
_x000D_They also promised to review concerns about dealer profit margins. Furthermore, they assured the public that fuel supplies will continue without interruption during the dispute.
_x000D_ _x000D_New Policy Changes Fuel Imports
_x000D_The proposed framework allows OGRA to issue daily ex-depot prices without approval from the prime minister or the federal cabinet.
_x000D_However, prices announced on Fridays will remain unchanged throughout Saturday and Sunday.
_x000D_The government also introduced new fuel import rules for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
_x000D_Pakistan State Oil (PSO) will become the only importer of high-speed diesel. Meanwhile, oil marketing companies will continue importing petrol according to their market shares.
_x000D_Companies that fail to meet import targets could lose import approvals for up to nine months.
_x000D_ _x000D_Dealers Seek Policy Review
_x000D_Government officials say these reforms will modernise Pakistan’s petroleum pricing system. They also believe the policy will improve transparency and align local fuel prices with international market trends.
_x000D_However, petrol pump owners insist the government should review the proposal before introducing the new pricing mechanism.
