PESHAWAR: Owners of petrol pumps here on Saturday decided to shut down their filling stations and besiege oil depots, if the government couldn’t accept their demands till November 4.

The decision was taken during a meeting under chairmanship of the Sarhad Petroleum and Cartage Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chairman Abdul Majid Khan in chair here.

The meeting was attended by the association secretary Gul Nawaz Afridi, Shahrukh Khan and others.

Later talking to media persons, the petrol pump owners said that the government didn’t materialize its commitment regarding increase in commission.

They said owing to increase in production cost and inflation, doing business is not only difficult but has been made impossible.

The pump owners warned if the government did not fulfil their demands immediately, they would compel on aggressive steps.

Abdul Majid said they have taken up demands before the government time and again through relevant officials but the authorities concerned are least bothered to pay attention towards these demands and fulfil them.

He threatened that the pump owners have no other option but to protest if the government continued its apathetic attitude towards their demands.

Gul Nawaz Afridi said that the daily household expenses have increased manifold but the government didn’t think about miseries of petrol pump owners and dealers.

Therefore, he said that the government is compelling us to protest, so we have decided that our demands couldn’t be fulfilled till November 4, so they will close down filling stations from November 5 and go on complete strike, which will continue till acceptance of demands. So, the pump owners said that the government would automatically bow on knees after their protest.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021