KARACHI: The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) on Saturday said that despite the government increasing fuel prices, oil marketing companies (OMCs) have not restored the supply of petroleum products, with petrol and diesel still unavailable at many filling stations.
Petroleum dealers said OMCs had recently implemented a quota system, reducing supplies by 50 per cent, and have now further curtailed deliveries.
The association demanded that OMCs be audited and an inquiry be conducted to determine who benefited from reducing supplies to dealers and engaging in alleged hoarding.
According to the PPDA, the recent increase in petroleum product prices has placed an additional financial burden worth billions of rupees on petroleum dealers across the country. Petrol pump owners now have to pay nearly Rs30 million extra per pump to purchase petrol and diesel.
The association said the sudden Rs55 per litre increase in petroleum product prices has made it extremely difficult for petrol pump owners to procure fuel. Dealers added that while prices have surged sharply, OMCs were already delaying supplies.
The statement said OMCs are enforcing a quota system and providing less than 50 per cent of the required supply compared with demand, making it even more difficult for dealers to continue their business operations.
The PPDA said that while the government has increased its own margin in the process, it has not raised the dealers’ margin, which had already been approved several months ago. The association added that it had earlier urged the government to refrain from increasing the petroleum levy at this stage.
The association warned that the current fuel supply and pricing system could lead to rising tensions at petrol pumps. Dealers said such conditions may result in disputes, noting that a petrol pump employee was killed during a clash at a filling station in Punjab a day earlier.
The PPDA said petroleum dealers are being directly affected by current government policies and urged the authorities to take immediate steps while addressing supply constraints and the impact of the recent price increases.
