The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the federal cabinet has approved an increase in the dealers’ margins on petroleum products. According to media reports, the dealers’ margin on petrol and diesel has been increased from Rs9.64 to Rs9.98 per litre, with the revised margin to be implemented immediately.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was briefed on the Economic Coordination Committee’s decision and subsequently approved the increase in dealers’ margins on petrol and diesel. The decision was taken after a detailed review of a summary submitted by the Petroleum Division regarding the dealers’ margins on petrol and high-speed diesel.
The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Rana Tanveer Hussain, Ali Pervez Malik and Ahad Khan Cheema, along with secretaries and senior officials from the relevant ministries. Before the approval, the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association had announced the postponement of its nationwide strike following assurances from the Petroleum Minister that dealers’ profit margins would be increased.
Addressing a press conference in Karachi, association Chairman Malik Khuda Bakhsh said that, with the special approval of the Prime Minister, an increase of Rs1.34 per litre in dealers’ margins had been proposed, following which the ECC meeting was convened. According to Tariq Hassan, Vice Chairman of the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association, the proposed increase would raise the dealers’ margin to Rs10 per litre.
He further said that the government has set a target of digitising all petrol pumps by March 23, 2027. A separate summary proposing that petroleum product prices be revised every seven days instead of daily has also been sent to the Prime Minister for consideration. Bakhsh said that after a meeting of dealers from across the country, the association had unanimously decided to demand an 8% margin on petrol. He added that dealers’ patience had run out, with more than 14,000 members urging the association to take action.