PM Shehbaz orders action against petrol pumps not passing on relief
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the petroleum minister to act against petrol pumps that fail to pass relief on to consumers. He said a Rs 15 per litre petrol price increase due on Friday did not go ahead.
- PM Shehbaz Sharif ordered action against petrol pumps that withhold relief from consumers
- A Rs 15 per litre petrol increase due on Friday was averted
- The government plans to import LPG to give relief to the public
- A Rs 160 billion package for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been finalised
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered action against petrol pumps that do not pass on fuel price relief to consumers. According to the reports, the government received complaints that some petrol stations were withholding the relief, and the petroleum minister was directed to take action against them.
The prime minister also spoke about the price of petrol. A Rs 15 per litre increase was due on Friday, but it did not happen. Daily Jang and Daily Pakistan reported that the petroleum minister and the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) asked refineries to share their windfall profits, which prevented the increase.
On liquefied petroleum gas, the government plans to import LPG to provide relief to the public. Shehbaz Sharif said: "ایل پی جی مافیا کا دور ختم ہو چکا" (the era of the LPG mafia is over), according to Daily Jang and Daily Pakistan, which carried the quote in Urdu.
The prime minister said 7.5 crore people have benefited from the fuel token scheme, and that Rs 28 billion has been spent on it so far, according to Daily Jang and Daily Pakistan.
On Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the government finalised a Rs 160 billion package for the province a day earlier. Shehbaz Sharif said security is the first, second and third priority in the province, and that terrorism will be crushed with the cooperation of the new government there.
He also noted that oil prices have risen globally because of instability in the region. Daily Jang and Daily Pakistan reported that talks were held in Tehran to reduce tensions, and Daily Pakistan said they took place in a good atmosphere.
Daily Pakistan further reported that the federal cabinet approved designs for new currency notes made with modern material and new security features. It also approved introducing a coin in place of the Rs 10 note.
Why it matters for Pakistan
Fuel price relief reaches consumers only if petrol pumps pass it on, which affects everyday transport and goods costs across Pakistan. The government's LPG import plan is also aimed at easing costs for households.
