Petroleum dealers in Pakistan Friday issued a warning to close down filling stations across the country to protest a non-increase in their profit margins, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The decision comes after the government failed to honour its commitment to increasing the profit margins, leaving the petroleum dealers dissatisfied with the current situation.

In a statement, Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) Chairman Abdul Sami Khan expressed frustration over the government’s inability to raise their profit margin, saying that a deadline of September 1 has ended.

Sami Khan pointed out that the government and other stakeholders had signed a written agreement with his association. However, he regretted, the government has not increased the profit margins.

“We cannot run filling stations with the current dealer margin”, he said, adding that the expenditure ratio has witnessed a staggering increase. He warned of a complete shutterdown strike if the government failed to increase profit margin.

Earlier in July, Pakistan’s petroleum dealers postponed their nationwide shutter-down strike following assurances from the then-State Minister for Petroleum, Musadik Malik.

An agreement was reached and signed by the minister, OGRA Chairman, Masoor Khan, and Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) Chairman, Abdul Sami Khan.