KARACHI:
The Pakistan Petroleum Traders Association (PPDA) has warned that petrol pumps across the country will close indefinitely from March 27 if the government fails to increase traders’ margin to 8 percent.
The association made the announcement on Friday during an emergency press conference at the Karachi Press Club. PPDA chairman Abdul Sami Khan said oil traders would resist if their demands were not met.
“The government had promised us a margin of 8 percent, but due to the rise in prices of petroleum products, our margin has now fallen to 2.68 percent, making it impossible for us to continue our operations,” he said.
He urged the government to stick to its commitment, warning that dealers would shut down petrol pumps across the country if the request was not met.
PPDA Vice President Tariq Hassan also expressed concern over the possibility of another increase in fuel prices this week, saying petrol prices could increase by Rs 50-60 per liter.
Another official, Waseem Qadri, said if the margin was fixed at eight per cent, the revenue of dealers would increase from around Rs 8 per liter to around Rs 25 per litre.
Oil traders also said Iranian diesel and gasoline were still widely sold in the country, affecting the local fuel market.
Last week, on March 4, the All Pakistan Petrol Pump Owners Association warned of a possible shortage of petroleum products in the country and demanded immediate intervention from the government.
In the letter addressed to the Prime Minister, the association claimed that oil marketing companies had imposed a quota system and were not supplying petrol pumps with the required quantity of fuel.
Despite orders being placed, supplies were delayed and tankers had to wait for hours. The association warned that creating an artificial shortage could cause panic among the public.
