All Pakistan Oil Tankers Association (APOTA) has announced to go on a countrywide strike starting today (Monday), in protest against the non-fulfillment of their demands.
According to sources, the association has complained that OGRA and National Highway Authority have not fulfilled their promises following a similar strike in July this year.
“The strike remained futile and we are now compelled to go on strike from October 23 (Monday) by halting our tankers. The government will be responsible for it,” said the association’s chief in a letter to Sindh IG. The strike may cause countrywide fuel crisis.
It may be recalled that APOTA had observed a same kind of strike in July against OGRA and Motorway Police.
He said, “OGRA and the Motorway police are being unfair,” adding the owners of oil tankers pay advance tax for three months to the government, but it was not giving them any relief. “They’re instead exploiting us.”
Besides, the Motorway police was bent on levying penalties, while the patrolling police was harassing the oil tanker owners in Punjab, he said.
There has been no meeting among the heads of OGRA, oil marketing companies and oil tankers owners association ever since the petroleum ministry handed over the matters of oil tankers to OGRA, he maintained. “The decisions are made behind the closed doors and implemented.” The association members have decided not to supply oil to fuel stations in protest for an indefinite period, until their demands are met.
