Govt seeks Rs15/litre petrol discount from refineries

The government has sought support from oil refineries to provide petrol at a discount of Rs15 per litre as part of its efforts to shield consumers from rising global energy prices.

Speaking at a press conference alongside Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar in Islamabad, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik said rising international energy prices had affected Pakistan’s economy and increased transportation costs.

He said providing relief to the public remained among the government’s top priorities and that it had launched a fuel subsidy scheme to support consumers.

Millions of people are benefiting from the scheme, Malik said, adding that the government had also requested cooperation from oil refineries to provide petrol at a discount of Rs15 per litre.

He said the government would move forward transparently, keeping the public interest in mind.

Tarar said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s mission was to minimise the burden on the public.

He said Pakistan’s economy, like those of other countries, had been affected by the global situation.

The government launched the subsidy scheme to provide relief to owners of motorcycles, Qingqi rickshaws and small cars, he added.

More than 15 million people have benefited from the fuel subsidy scheme, while relief worth Rs27 billion has been provided so far, Tarar said.

He added that relevant government departments had worked together to implement the scheme.

The government’s strategy had also helped prevent further increases in petroleum product prices, he said.