KARACHI — A major fuel supply crisis is set to grip Pakistan as the All Pakistan Petrol Pump Owners Association (APPPOA) has officially announced an indefinite countrywide strike, ARY News reported. According to an official statement issued by the association, all petrol stations across the country will shut down their operations starting at midnight on July 22. This drastic decision follows a complete breakdown in negotiations between the APPPOA leadership and the Federal Minister of State for Petroleum, Ali Pervaiz Malik. The dialogue, which aimed to address deep-seated grievances regarding the newly implemented daily petroleum product pricing mechanism and the dealers’ demands for higher profit margins, ended in total failure.
The strike action threatens to severely disrupt public transport, logistics, and daily life across all provinces. The APPPOA has firmly directed all pump owners nationwide to strictly participate in the shutdown, urging them to remain united to ensure a peaceful yet resolute protest until the federal government offers a legally binding and acceptable solution. This friction comes as Pakistan transitions to a daily petroleum pricing system under the direction of the Petroleum Division and the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA). Designed to swiftly adapt to highly volatile international oil markets and currency fluctuations, the dynamic pricing framework calculates pump rates daily without requiring direct cabinet approvals. However, the system has triggered severe pushback from retail dealers, who argue that the formula compromises their operational margins and introduces financial instability into their business models.
