The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) has voiced concern over plans to remove government control on fuel prices.
Speaking at a press briefing in Karachi, Abdul Sami Khan, representing the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association, cautioned that deregulating fuel prices would harm both the industry and consumers, leading to a lack of access to quality fuel products.
He warned that in remote areas, petrol and diesel would be sold at excessively high prices if fuel prices were deregulated. Khan also expressed fears that deregulation could trigger hyperinflation and economic instability.
Expressing dissatisfaction, Abdul Sami Khan pledged to challenge the decision in court and threatened to organize protests against the anticipated deregulation of fuel prices.
This reaction from the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association follows a proposal by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) to gradually remove government control on fuel prices across the country.
Meanwhile, Attock Refinery Limited recently closed its main crude distillation unit due to an oversupply of diesel, caused by widespread fuel smuggling in the local market. The refinery reported that oil marketing companies were not purchasing fuel from them, citing high demand for smuggled fuel within the country.
