ISLAMABAD: Strongly rejecting the government’s proposed petroleum pricing deregulation policy, All Pakistan Petrol Pump Owners Association threatened to launch a series of protests and a nationwide strike next week if the decision is not withdrawn.
In his video message, APPPOA Vice Chairman Nauman Ali Butt alleged that the proposed policy had been formulated without consulting petrol pump owners despite its far-reaching implications for the petroleum retail sector. Mr. Butt said that they had rejected the government’s proposed petroleum price deregulation policy adding, “If the decision is not withdrawn, we will consider protests and a nationwide strike next week.”
Our demand is to review the proposal and avoid shifting the burden of its implementation onto petrol pump owners. The association also demanded that all stakeholders, including petrol pump owners, be consulted before any pricing arrangement is finalised with oil marketing companies (OMCs).
“We the owners of nearly 15,000 petrol pump in the country, have expressed serious reservations over the proposed deregulation policy”, he said, adding that it could create operational and commercial challenges for petroleum retailers.
This new pricing mechanism would certainly affect the oil transportation system, oil tankers and the overall petroleum pricing framework, potentially disrupting the smooth functioning of the fuel supply chain in the country, Nauman Ali Butt was of the view.
The APPPOA vice chairman urged the government to refrain from taking unilateral decisions and instead engage petrol pump owners in meaningful consultations before implementing any major reforms in the petroleum sector., otherwise, he warned that they would be left with no option other than to launch protests and call for a country-wide strike soon.
