The All Pakistan Petrol Pump Owners Association (APPPOA) has issued a stern warning of a nationwide petrol pump shutdown if the government fails to address their pressing concerns. The association has called for an urgent meeting with Federal Minister for Petroleum, Ali Pervez Malik, to discuss operational, financial, and pricing challenges faced by the sector.
APPPOA Vice Chairman Nouman Ali Butt highlighted in a letter that petrol pump owners across Pakistan are struggling with day-to-day operations, sudden disruptions, and ongoing pricing volatility, worsened by tensions in the Middle East. He stressed that the government’s lack of response to their previous concerns, raised on March 6, has left stakeholders frustrated.
The association urged that industry representatives be included in policymaking decisions for the petroleum sector. They emphasized that around 14,000 to 15,000 petrol pump owners would be directly affected, and ignoring their concerns could spark a new fuel crisis nationwide.
Since the start of the Middle East conflict, the government has raised petrol and diesel prices by Rs55 per litre, kerosene oil by over Rs200 per litre, and high-octane fuel by Rs200 per litre. APPPOA warned that any resulting disruptions or shortages would be the responsibility of the Petroleum Division.
Meanwhile, a government committee monitoring petrol supplies reported that Pakistan has “largely secured” fuel cargoes for March and April. The meeting, chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, also reviewed the global oil and gas market situation and assessed the domestic energy supply.
