KARACHI: The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) has called off the countrywide strike, a statement said on Thursday.

The PPDA called for a countrywide strike for November 5 against the inability of the government to increase their margins for two years. In this regard, PPDA representatives held a meeting with the government team led by Energy Minister Hammad Azhar in which the Petroleum Division agreed to increase the margins by 6 per cent this month.

PPDA chairman Sami Khan said: “We had a meeting with a government team, and during the meeting, it was decided that a committee will be constituted, which will consist of government officials and PPDA representatives, to suggest a proposal to increase margin for [the] petroleum dealers.”

“With the current margin, the dealers are at loss, and we demand an increase in dealers’ margin. And if our demand for increased margin is not notified till November 20, the PPDA will go on a strike,” he added.