KARACHI, Aug 31: Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association chairman Abdul Sami Khan on Friday said the association had decided to postpone the country-wide indefinite strike in protest against Ogra’s decision to cut dealers’ commission.
He said the decision to call off the strike was taken after Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad talked to the petroleum secretary on Friday and promised to resolve the issue. “The petroleum secretary later telephoned me and assured that he would try to find a solution,” Mr Sami said.
He said that a 12-member team of the association would meet officials of the petroleum ministry in Islamabad on Saturday. “I have informed the secretary that the PPDA has postponed the strike, not called it off,” he said, adding that he could not say anything about the association’s future plan which would depend on the outcome of Saturday’s meeting.
Mr Sami said that many pumps had reopened on Friday night.
The PPDA chairman had announced on Wednesday that the strike would continue till the restoration of commission of 39 paisa per litre. He had threatened to charge 39 paisa per litre as service charge from consumers if the demand was not met.
Except for Balochistan and Islamabad, sale of petrol and diesel in most parts of the country had been stopped, the PPDA chairman. He said that of the 4,000-4,500 pumps in the country, 90 per cent pumps belonging to members of the association remained closed on Friday.
Meanwhile, the state-run Pakistan State Oil, the country’s largest oil retailer, on Friday announced that it would continue to ensure unhindered availability of fuel at its outlets across the country.A PSO spokesman claimed that its 40 stations and sites (3,660 pumps) as well as a large number of dealer-owned retail outlets remained open from Karachi to Khyber.
All Pakistan Vigilance Petroleum Dealers Foundation chairman Syed Zia Abbas said that association’s 200 members had kept their pumps open on Friday. Karachi has around 450 pumps.
He rejected PPDA’s claims that the strike was successful and said that 95 per cent pumps in Islamabad, 40 per cent in Lahore, 75-80 per cent in the NWFP and 100 per cent in Balochistan remained open.
Pakistan’s daily sale of petrol ranges between 3,000 and 4,000 tons and of diesel between 17,000 and 20,000 tons.
Our Staff Reporter from Lahore adds: Punjab suffered a partial strike by petrol pumps, affecting public transport and creating problems for commuters. Only 10 per cent of the petrol pumps in the city remained open. Stations run by petroleum companies, city district governments and the army remained open.
