The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association has warned of a nationwide strike after Eid, saying petrol pumps across the country may shut down if the government does not revise dealers’ profit margins.

Association leader Tariq Hassan said fuel retailers will begin an indefinite strike from March 26 if their demands remain unaddressed. He added that the issue of increasing dealer margins has been raised repeatedly with authorities, but no meaningful progress has been made despite assurances given around two years ago.

Petroleum dealers argue that rising operational costs have made it increasingly difficult to run fuel stations under the current margin structure. They say that while petroleum prices have climbed significantly in recent years, the profit share allocated to dealers has remained unchanged.

The association also criticized the recent Rs. 55 per litre increase in petroleum prices, calling for an investigation into the hike. Dealers claim oil marketing companies earned billions of rupees following the increase and alleged that some firms had stocked fuel in advance, allowing them to benefit financially once the new prices took effect.

Retailers further stated that the price increase has raised their purchasing costs, adding financial pressure on petrol pump operators already dealing with higher expenses.

In addition, the association expressed concern over supply constraints, claiming that some oil marketing companies have cut fuel allocations to pumps by nearly half. Dealers say the reduced quotas have created operational difficulties for retailers across the country.

The association has urged the government to investigate the price increase and revise the dealer margin policy. It warned that if the issue remains unresolved, the planned nationwide strike after Eid could disrupt fuel supply across Pakistan.