The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) has announced a nationwide strike on July 5 to protest against the government’s decision to impose a 0.5% advance tax. PPDA chairman Abdul Sami Khan said they plan to discuss this with the government in Islamabad on Monday.
If these talks don’t go well, petrol stations across Pakistan will close as planned. Khan is very worried about the advance turnover tax and warned that the strike could last longer if needed.
He asked the government to cancel the tax immediately to avoid serious problems for petrol dealers.
In other news, the federal government recently raised the price of petrol by Rs 7.45 per litre, making the new rate Rs 265.61 per litre, up from Rs 258.16 per litre.
This has added to the financial pressure already facing the public. The price of high-speed diesel (HSD) was also raised by Rs 9.56, making the new cost Rs 277.45 per litre.
Moreover, the federal government led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has proposed a big 33% increase in the petroleum levy on petroleum products. They also suggested increasing the levy on high-octane, light diesel, and ethanol by 50%. If approved, this would mean an extra Rs 50 per litre for these fuels.
These changes have caused a lot of worry among the public and businesses, who are struggling with rising costs. The PPDA’s planned strike shows how unhappy people are and how important it is for the government to help both consumers and petrol dealers with their money problems.
