Petroleum dealers announce strike from July 22

KARACHI: The Pakistani Petroleum Dealers’ Association (PPDA) has announced a countrywide strike from July 22 against what they called “low-profit margin”.

Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, PPDA Chairman Abdul Sami Khan said that the profit margin should be increased to Rs11 per litre from the current Rs6 per litre.

He claimed that the authorised petroleum dealers’ sales have decreased by 30 per cent due to the increasing sale of smuggled Iranian petrol and diesel.

Sami further alleged that the government was involved in smuggling Iranian petrol and diesel.

He said that he had contacted officials of the petroleum ministry in the issue but did not get any response.

Sami said that if the strike prolongs, they will open pumps only for two days on 9th and 10th Muharram.

Last year, the dealers had demanded a 6 per cent increase in profit margin and called a nationwide strike threat before the government marginally increased the margin.