Petrol pump owners across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have threatened a province-wide strike unless the government raises their sales commission from six to eight percent.

The warning was issued at the Peshawar Press Club by the KP Petroleum Dealers and Cartage Contractors Association on Saturday.

Association Chairman Gul Nawaz Afridi said dealers currently receive a six percent margin, which falls to around 1.5 percent after operational expenses are deducted.

He said dealers pay taxes to both the Federal Board of Revenue and provincial authorities, yet continue to face a financially difficult situation.

Afridi warned that if the demand for an increased margin is not accepted, dealers will have no option but to halt operations entirely.

He said the matter has been escalated to the central leadership of the association, which may consider a nationwide shutdown if unresolved.

The association also stated that dealers are required to purchase fuel with advance payments, adding further financial pressure to their existing cost burden.

Officials said the effective cost burden on dealers has risen by approximately one hundred rupees per litre under current market conditions in Pakistan.

Afridi also accused authorities of failing to act against illegal fuel outlets, known locally as dabba stations, which are expanding across the province.

He said licensed petrol pump owners face regular regulatory inspections while illegal operators continue to function without facing equivalent enforcement or legal consequences.

He further alleged that certain officials conduct raids on petrol stations and demand bribes, with no action taken against them by relevant authorities.

Association President Akhtar Nawaz, Secretary Bezaur Rehman, and Patron-in-Chief Engineer Maqsood Anwar Pervez also spoke at the press conference alongside the chairman.

They said the growth of illegal fuel outlets, combined with weak enforcement, is worsening conditions for legally registered businesses across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The association confirmed that any shutdown decision made by its central leadership would receive full support from dealers operating throughout the province.