Daily Fuel Price Mechanism Fuels Protest by Goods Carriers Across Pakistan

Islamabad, Aug 9 – A fresh round of protests has erupted as Pakistan’s transport sector reacts to the introduction of a daily fuel price mechanism. Over 400,000 cargo trucks and oil tankers have withdrawn from service nationwide, creating a bottleneck in both industrial supply lines and export shipments.

The Pakistan Goods Transporters Alliance, led by Nisar Hussain Jafari, announced that the strike will continue until the alliance’s leadership meets with the federal government on Monday. The group is targeting ministries responsible for petroleum, transport and ports.

Under the new policy, petrol and diesel prices are no longer fixed for a week or month; instead, they can change each day in line with global oil price swings. Transporters argue that this volatility undermines cost planning for haulers.

Key demands include reinstating the former fuel‑price system and lowering the withholding tax on carrier services from the current 7 % to 2 %. Jafari pointed out that carriers already remit a 2 % tax on oil‑carrier services.

In a bid to calm tensions, the government cut fuel prices on Friday, reducing petrol by PKR 2.20 per litre and high‑speed diesel by PKR 1.50 per litre. The adjusted rates – PKR 327.62 per litre for petrol and PKR 380.86 per litre for diesel – will be valid until Monday.

Energy Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and Information Minister Atta Tarar stated that the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority will publish daily price updates on its website, basing adjustments on international market trends. Since March, the authority has been revising fuel rates weekly.

The strike adds to Pakistan’s existing economic challenges, which include a financial crisis, scarce jobs, and chronic fuel and transport supply gaps.