ISLAMABAD: The All Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (APPDA) has called off its planned strike for March 4, 2025, after successful negotiations with the federal government regarding the deregulation of the petroleum sector.
Following talks with Petroleum Minister Dr. Musadik Malik, a spokesperson for the APPDA announced that the strike call had been withdrawn. “Petroleum dealers have taken back their strike call for tomorrow,” the spokesperson confirmed.
Sources familiar with the discussions revealed that both parties agreed that the APPDA would be involved in the process of deregulating the petroleum sector moving forward.
In a statement to the media, APPDA central spokesperson Noman Ali Butt declared the talks a success. He stated that the petroleum minister assured the association that the deregulation process would not impact the dealers’ profit margins. Additionally, Butt said the minister promised to take action against the smuggling of oil from Iran, a key concern for the dealers.
Last month, the petroleum minister announced plans for a deregulation policy, which would allow oil marketing companies (OMCs) to set their own fuel prices, encouraging competition. This move sparked opposition from the APPDA, who feared it could lead to foreign dominance in the local oil market. In response, the APPDA threatened a nationwide strike and demanded that the government address their concerns by March 4, arguing that they had been excluded from discussions on the matter.
However, the chairman of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) dismissed the strike threat as a misunderstanding, stating that dealers were concerned about potential reductions in their profit margins due to deregulation.
