Petrol Strike is set to begin across Pakistan after the All Pakistan Petrol Pumps Owners Association (APPPOA) announced an indefinite nationwide shutdown following unsuccessful negotiations with the federal government over dealer commissions and fuel pricing.

The association said petrol pumps across the country will close from midnight on 22 July and remain shut until the government accepts its demands.

Talks end without agreement

APPPOA Chairman Humayun Khan said representatives from all four provinces, along with Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, met Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik to discuss the association’s concerns.

The delegation demanded that dealer commissions be converted into a percentage-based system and urged the government to reverse its decision to introduce daily fuel price revisions.

Khan said the talks failed to produce an agreement on either issue.

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Dealers oppose daily fuel pricing

The federal government recently replaced monthly fuel price revisions with a daily pricing mechanism, using a seven-day average of international oil prices.

Officials introduced the policy in response to volatility in global oil markets following renewed conflict in the Middle East.

Humayun Khan criticised the move, saying petrol pump owners have absorbed financial losses over the past two to three months.

He argued that changing prices daily instead of monthly does not reduce the burden on consumers and instead shifts financial pressure onto petrol pump owners, oil marketing companies and refineries.

Strike to begin on July 22

APPPOA leader Nauman Butt confirmed that negotiations with the petroleum minister had failed to resolve disputes over dealer margins and daily fuel pricing.

He said the nationwide strike will begin at 12:00am on 22 July and continue until the association’s demands are met.

The association has directed all member petrol pumps to participate fully in the shutdown.

Transport sector backs protest

The Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance has announced its support for the strike.

Alliance President Malik Shehzad Awan urged the federal government to accept the demands of petrol pump owners and fuel dealers.

He warned that transport operations would also suffer if the shutdown continues and called on the government to consult industry stakeholders before introducing changes to fuel pricing policies.