Withdraw Daily Fuel Pricing Policy to Save Industry, Urges SITE Association President Abdul Rehman Fudda.
Expressing serious reservations over the government’s decision to introduce daily pricing of petroleum products, SITE Association of Industry President Abdul Rehman Fudda has urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to immediately review and withdraw the policy, warning that it could trigger a fresh crisis for Pakistan’s industrial and export sectors.
In a statement, Abdul Fudda said the country’s manufacturing sector was already under immense pressure due to high electricity and gas tariffs, excessive taxation and steadily rising production costs. Introducing daily revisions in petroleum prices, he said, would further deepen uncertainty for businesses, making long-term planning and cost management increasingly difficult.
“The two biggest challenges confronting Pakistan’s industrial sector are expensive energy and policy uncertainty,” he said. “If manufacturers wake up every morning unsure of fuel prices and production costs, they cannot effectively price their products, manage inventories or make investment decisions.”
SAI chief noted that export-oriented industries were particularly vulnerable because export contracts are typically finalized several months before delivery. Continuous fluctuations in fuel prices during the production cycle, he said, would significantly increase manufacturing and logistics costs, making it difficult for Pakistani exporters to remain competitive in international markets.
He said domestic manufacturers also faced practical constraints, as they could not revise product prices on a daily basis to absorb rising input costs.
Appealing directly to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Mr. Fudda proposed that petroleum prices should be fixed on at least a monthly basis to provide businesses with a predictable operating environment. If international oil price volatility created fiscal pressure, he suggested that the government temporarily adjust the petroleum levy rather than passing daily price fluctuations on to industry.
He expressed hope that the Prime Minister and relevant policymakers would take the concerns of the business community seriously and adopt a stable and predictable pricing mechanism to protect industrial activity, safeguard exports and preserve employment.
