The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) has declared an indefinite halt to distribution operations starting from 6 AM on Saturday, July 22, 2023. The announcement was made by PPDA Chairman Abdul Sami Khan in an official notice, citing severe losses as the primary reason for this drastic action. The losses are attributed to the escalating sales of petrol and diesel smuggled into the country from Iran.
In an attempt to address their concerns, the association had previously reached out to the Minister of Petroleum, Musadik Malik, detailing this issue among others. However, their grievances were met with silence, as the minister failed to respond.
The strike is expected to cause significant inconvenience to the general public due to the impending petrol supply disruption across the nation. In light of this, the association has advised people to fill up their vehicles by Friday night, July 21. The PPDA has vowed to continue the protest until the petroleum ministry takes substantial measures to address their concerns.
In a related development earlier this week, the Oil Tankers’ Association staged a protest at the Bilawal House Chowrangi. This demonstration was in response to the authorities lack of action following the kidnapping of a tanker driver named Khalid. The driver was abducted by bandits at Kandhkot in Kashmore District, Sindh, and a ransom of Rs. 10 million (Rs. 1 crore) was demanded for his release.
Despite being informed about the incident, the authorities have not taken any significant steps to rescue the victim for over a month. The association has pledged to continue its protest until the provincial government gives due attention to the matter.
