Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar says Pakistan is managing the global fuel crisis effectively and there is no dearth of petroleum products in the country.
He was addressing a news conference along with Minister for Climate Change Dr. Musadik Masood Malik in Lahore today. Attaullah Tarar said the government has ensured continuous fuel supply and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is closely monitoring the situation, seeking daily reports from all ministries. Highlighting global and regional challenges, the Minister noted that oil prices had never risen so sharply across the world.
He said tensions in the region have affected supply chains as well. Attaullah Tarar urged the people to practice energy conservation saying that fuel must be used judiciously and only as needed. The Minister said the Prime Minister convened meeting of leadership from all four provinces and provided targeted subsidies to ease the burden on the common man.
He said 129 billion rupees were spent on subsidies on petroleum products over the past three weeks. The Information Minister said the government has also announced subsidy for buses and goods transport and a digital wallet system has been devised for transparent distribution of this subsidy.
He said frugal measures and the Prime Minister’s interventions helped reduce petrol prices by 80 rupees per liter. He said all ministries and provincial governments have been directed to ensure relief and convenience for citizens.
In his remarks, Dr. Musadik Malik said the government is facing multiple challenges. However, he emphasized that provision of targeted subsidies to the deserving segments of society remains a firm commitment of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He also highlighted that special steps have been taken to ensure uninterrupted supply of petroleum products across the country.
The Minister said the Prime Minister has also announced a subsidy of 1,500 rupees per acre for farmers to support the agriculture sector. He said that a subsidy of one hundred thousand rupees each would be provided for passenger buses to prevent any increase in fares.
