OGRA convenes meeting to resolve petrol dealers’ margin
Sunday, November 11, 2007
KARACHI: Oil and Gas Development Authority (OGRA) has convened the meeting on November 13, in Islamabad to discuss the issue of commission of petrol pump dealers.
According to chairman Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) Abdul Sami Khan here on Saturday, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources has authorized OGRA to decide and resolve the issue of margin.
He said that this issue has been lingering for a long time and petrol pump dealers had called off their strike on August 31, 2007, on the assurance of Secretary Petroleum that government will resolve the problem of commission.
Sami said that the Ministry in a meeting on September 1, 2007, had sought one month time to settle this issue. But the problem is still unresolved due to prevailing circumstances in the country, he added.
He pointed out that during the last 16 months, the commission of petroleum dealers had been slashed twice, first on March 16 by 39 paisa per litre and second on August 25, by 40 paisa a litre.
He said that sale of petrol and diesel has already declined by 40 per cent due to fast conversion of vehicles on CNG, forcing petrol pumps to either close down their business or switch to CNG stations.
Sami said now OGRA has convened this meeting which will not only discuss commission issue but also the alarming rise in the international oil prices.