ISLAMABAD:

The government on Tuesday increased the prices of petroleum products by up to Rs7.15 per litre for Wednesday (today), while the All Pakistan Petrol Pumps Owners Association (APPPOA) announced a nationwide strike after negotiations with the government over a proposed daily fuel pricing mechanism failed.

Under a revised pricing mechanism notified by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), the price of high-speed diesel (HSD) has been increased by Rs7.15 per litre, from Rs360.06 to Rs367.21, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Energy's Petroleum Division.

The price of motor spirit (MS), commonly known as petrol, has also been increased by Rs4.93 per litre, from Rs315.80 to Rs320.73. The revised prices took effect on July 22, 2026, the statement said.

Until recently, petroleum prices were revised every fortnight. However, the government last week switched to a daily pricing mechanism. On Monday, it increased the price of HSD by Rs5.17 per litre for Tuesday, while reducing the price of petrol by Rs0.35 per litre.

The APPPOA and the All Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) have opposed the introduction of daily fuel price revisions. Following the breakdown of talks with the government, the APPPOA announced an indefinite nationwide strike from midnight on Wednesday.

In a video message, APPPOA leader Nauman Butt said negotiations with the federal minister for petroleum had failed to produce a positive outcome. He said talks broke down over dealers' margins and the implementation of the daily fuel pricing mechanism.

The association said petrol pumps across the country would remain closed from midnight on July 22 and that the strike would continue until the government's acceptance of its demands. The Petroleum Retailers Association also announced its support for the strike.

Separately, the PPDA convened a meeting of its executive committee to decide whether to join the strike. PPDA Senior Adviser Malik Khuda Bukhsh said daily fuel pricing was neither practical nor acceptable for dealers.

He said the association had conveyed its concerns to OGRA, which sought seven days to present the issues to the government and respond to the dealers. According to Malik, the PPDA informed the regulator that its executive committee would meet on Wednesday to decide its future course of action, including the strike.