Govt Yet to Decide on Deregulating Petroleum Prices

The Petroleum Ministry has made no decision on fuel price deregulation and assured that dealers will be consulted before any move. This comes as the All-Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (APPDA) has threatened to strike if the government doesn’t address their concerns before March 4. The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Petroleum has ordered the ministry to engage with dealers before finalizing any decision. Ministry officials confirmed that no final decision had been reached. The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) chairman dismissed the strike threat as a misunderstanding and said that dealers fear oil companies might reduce their profit margins under deregulation. The committee has summoned OGRA officials and APPDA representatives for further discussions. APPDA representatives criticized the government for excluding them from consultations. They argued that the petroleum minister’s earlier statement regarding partial deregulation suggested that deregulation had already been decided and pending just the prime minister’s approval. They also expressed concerns over profit margins and the deregulation of lubricants and high-octane fuel.