A countrywide partial strike is being observed on a call of Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) for an increase in margin on the petroleum products’ sale.
In major cities, long queues, traffic jams and brawls were seen at the petrol pumps this morning.
The PPDA had said they would observe the strike till an indefinite period.
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The PPDA official said that the petrol pumps will remain closed across the country today. The strike will continue till our demand of hike in dealers’ margin to 6 per cent is not met, he added.
The PPDA official said they will not negotiate with the government.
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has said that petrol pumps of PSO, HESCO, GO and Shell will continue to supply petroleum products.
ملک میں کل پی ایس او کے پمپس اور HESCO,GO اورSHELLکے کمپنی اپریٹڈ پمپس پر پٹرولیم مصنوعات کی فراہمی جاری رہے گی pic.twitter.com/9l33M7n0sc
— Ministry of Energy (@MoWP15) November 24, 2021
Ogra officials took strict notice of reports of oil supply disruption on petrol pumps, saying that people involved in public inconvenience and oil supply disruption will be dealt strictly in accordance with Ogra laws.
They have directed all oil marketing companies to ensure uninterrupted supply of oil at retail outlets.
The regulatory authority said that action will be taken against those who try to disrupt supply on the basis of increase in dealer margin.
A spokesperson for Ogra said that enforcement teams are there to ensure the supply of petroleum products.
On the other hand, the provincial intelligence center (PIC) of the Punjab government on Wednesday sent an emergency message to secretary petroleum to contact the petroleum dealers association and play a role in preventing it from going on strike. The message added that the non-availability of pol products throughout the country will leave life completely standstill.
The deputy director of the provincial intelligence center raised the issue with the chief officer of petroleum division, urging them to convince the petroleum dealers association through dialogue and persuade them to delay the strike.
Meanwhile, PPDA Secretary General Noman Butt said that the government had assured us to accept our demands, but no government official has contacted us yet.