Transport Associations Demand Monthly Fuel Rates and Toll Relief in Pakistan

The Pakistan Mini Mazdoor Association (PMMA) and the All Pakistan Goods Transport Owners Association (APGTOA) have called for a coordinated strike across the country beginning August 8. Their protest targets the government’s daily fuel‑pricing schedule and the heavy fines imposed on the transport sector.

PMMA chief Tanveer Jatt urged authorities to adopt a monthly pricing schedule for petrol and high‑speed diesel, arguing that daily fluctuations destabilize logistics planning. He also asked for the removal of what he described as unjust toll taxes and penalties that erode profit margins.

APGTOA president Chaudhry Owais Gujjar emphasized the need for strict adherence to axle‑load limits as per existing law and demanded an end to corruption within the enforcement agencies. Gujjar highlighted that transport companies spend billions of rupees each year on tolls while receiving little return in terms of road quality, which remains a significant factor in road‑traffic accidents.

The strike announcement follows a period of oil‑price volatility linked to tensions in West Asia. The government’s recent price adjustment cut petrol by 3.19 rupees per litre and diesel by 1.50 rupees per litre, setting the new retail rates at 329.82 rupees per litre for petrol and 382.36 rupees per litre for diesel, after taxes of 110 and 96 rupees respectively. In July, officials declared that fuel prices would now be set daily, reflecting global market trends, a departure from the weekly pricing method used since March.