Alert! Petrol, diesel likely to be unavailable on July 5 across Pakistan

ISLAMABAD – Petroleum dealers have announced a countrywide strike on July 5 (Friday) against the imposition of the advance tax in budget for next fiscal year 2024-25.

Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) chairman Abdul Samad Khan made the announcement in a press conference, stating that all filling stations would observe shutdown across the country if the decision is not reversed by the government. 

It measure there would be no availability of petrol and diesel in the country on Friday this week. It would disrupt transportation services in the country as they depend on these petroleum products to operate.  

Abdul Samad Khan expressed concerns over the 0.5percent advance turnover tax included in the Finance Bill 2024-25. He said that it would make it impossible for petrol pumps to operate. He asked the government to abolish it immediately otherwise “we are left with no option but to shutdown operations”.

The Finance Bill 2024-25, which was prepared under the watch of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), was approved by the National Assembly in late June.