LAHORE: Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik has said the government is taking all possible measures to ensure uninterrupted availability of petroleum products and provide relief to economically vulnerable segments amid a sharp rise in international oil prices.
Speaking to reporters, the minister said the region was passing through a highly sensitive period, with the ongoing conflict and attacks on Saudi Arabia affecting global oil supplies and prices.
He said Pakistan had already been facing pressure from high fuel prices for several months, while international diesel prices had reached unprecedented levels. He noted that several countries, including France, were also experiencing elevated fuel prices, with diesel reportedly exceeding €2.40 per litre.
Malik said the government was working to maintain fuel supplies despite financial and resource constraints and would take necessary measures to protect the country’s interests while remaining mindful of the impact of expensive fuel on ordinary citizens.
According to the minister, Dubai crude had recently closed at around $118.40 per barrel, while international diesel prices had increased even more sharply. He said the government was closely monitoring developments and would take decisions after considering available resources and the financial burden on consumers.
He said around Rs30–40 billion had been allocated for measures aimed at providing relief to economically vulnerable segments. The federal government had also released Rs180 million in a single day under the petrol-related relief mechanism, with payments made to around 7,300 petrol pumps across the country.
Malik said more than two million people had registered under the relevant relief initiative, while around 25 million motorcycles were currently operating across Pakistan.
The petroleum minister also said the government was preparing for potential challenges during the winter season, particularly those related to LNG supplies.
He said he had briefed Jamaat-e-Islami leader Liaquat Baloch on the prevailing fuel situation and the government’s position. Malik said the JI had the right to hold peaceful protests but should also put forward practical solutions to the country’s challenges.
He added that while peaceful protest was a democratic right, the government would not allow any attempt to march on or besiege Islamabad.
Commenting on criticism from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, Malik urged the provincial leadership to focus on its constitutional responsibilities rather than repeatedly criticising the federal government.
On the question of creating new provinces, the minister said his party’s leadership believed the matter should be discussed in Parliament. He maintained that whether through local government reforms, the creation of new provinces or other mechanisms, decisions should ultimately be made in the interests of the people.
Story by Safdar Rasheed
