OKARA, March 27: Filling stations across Punjab will observe a one-day strike on Wednesday (tomorrow) to protest against cut in their profit margin. In a press conference here on Monday, All Pakistan Petroleum Association (APPA) Punjab president Abdul Majid said they would close their filling stations against the government’s ‘unjust’ and unilateral decision tomorrow.

He said the government had decreased dealers profit margin from 4 per cent to 2.5 per cent which was a clear negation of the agreement written in 1999 at PSO House, Islamabad.

On this occasion, APPA Punjab VP Chaudhry Muhammad Sadiq, secretary-general Zakir Husain and office-bearers from Okara, Kasur, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin and Gujrat were also present.

He said they had to pay many taxes, including sales tax and company franchise tax, and it was impossible for them to run filling stations in this reduced margin.

Mr Majid said before 1997 the commission/profit margin was just 0.75 per cent.

He said the APPA had filed writ petitions with the Sindh High Court and the Supreme Court of Pakistan seeking an increase in the profit margin.

He said the government had asked the association to withdraw cases from courts and assured an agreement in this regard.

He has appealed to President Musharraf to look into the matter.