Petroleum dealers announce nationwide strike from July 5

Pakistan Petroleum Dealers on Tuesday has declared a nationwide strike of petrol pumps on July 05, in protest against the government’s imposition of a 0.5 percent advance tax in the latest budget, ARY News reported.

The Petroleum Dealers Association demands the federal government to immediate withdraw the advance tax, warning that its implementation will destroy the petrol pump business.

Abdul Sami Khan, Chairman of the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association, expressed grave concerns about the latest tax imposition, stating that petrol pumps are already operating on minimal profit margins amidst the soaring inflation.

“The tax will destroy the petrol pump business. We are barely surviving in the highest rate of inflation, and this additional tax burden is unsustainable,” said Sami.

He mentioned that despite meeting with the Finance Minister, they received no satisfactory responses to their concerns.

He stressed that the advance income tax must be abolished within four days to prevent the strike.

“There is no option but to close the business due to unfair taxation,” he asserted.

The association has stated that they will take strict measures if the tax is not withdrawn.

“We have warned of severe consequences. The results will be bad, and the government will not be able to manage the fallout,” Khan stated.

“There is no way in the world to run petrol pumps at a loss. The government must act immediately to address our concerns,” Khan concluded.