Petrol dealers' strike: OMCs directed to keep fuel pumps open

• Cell established to monitor fuel supply position.
• Ogra to mobilise its monitoring teams, take remedial actions.
• Petroleum dealers announces to shut down all fuel stations today.
  

ISLAMABAD: In the wake of the strike call by the Pakistan Petroleum Dealer’s Association (PPDA), the Petroleum Division has directed the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) and oil marketing companies (OMC) to ensure the provision of fuel to general public at petrol pumps across the country.

"All Oil Marketing Companies have been advised to ensure adequate supplies of petroleum products at petrol pumps and to keep them open. It is important to note that there is sufficient availability of petroleum products in the country," said a joint statement issued by the Ogra and Petroleum Division late Thursday.

In a separate statement, the Petroleum Division said that it was taking measures to minimise the impact of the strike.

“Ogra, OCAC, OMAP and all OMCs have been advised to ensure that company operated retail sites as well as other associated sites of OMCs remain operational and have availability of sufficient stocks of petroleum products to minimise the impact of strike.”

Following the collapse of negotiations between the government and the petroleum dealers over the issue of advance tax, the association has announced to shut down all fuel stations across the country except Islamabad on Friday (today).

The Petroleum Division further said that a monitoring cell has been established in DG (Oil) office to monitor the fuel supply position and coordinate amongst the stakeholders during strike call of petroleum dealers.

Meanwhile, Ogra will also mobilise its monitoring teams to monitor the situation and take remedial actions.

In order to facilitate the masses, all chief secretaries have been asked to take appropriate measures to keep the maximum retail outlets open.

“They have also been requested to allow oil tankers movement during day time to replenish the stocks at the open retail sites, read the statement. 

Announcing the strike, PPDA's Abdul Sami Khan said yesterday: "We met government officials in Islamabad, but the talks produced no results, hence, we will go on strike as announced earlier."

Demanding withdrawal of the advance income tax imposed in the budget 2024-25, the petroleum dealers said the tax would ruin the petrol pump business. They said they were already running the business with a low profit margin, amid high inflation.

Khan had said they would be forced to shut their business because of the unfair tax, as there was “no way in the world to run fuel stations in loss with double taxation”.

Voicing concerns about the budget's 0.5% advance tax on turnover, the PPDA pointed out that every transaction for the cost of commodities sold is already taxed at the time of purchase and is recorded in the books of account of oil marketing businesses and dealers