ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government is making every effort to ensure uninterrupted petroleum supplies and ease the burden on poor households as international oil prices climb sharply, Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik said Sunday.
Speaking to reporters, Malik said the region is passing through a highly sensitive period, with ongoing conflict and attacks on Saudi Arabia affecting global oil supplies and prices. Pakistan has struggled with high fuel prices for months, he said, noting that diesel prices have reached unprecedented levels in international markets.
He pointed to fuel shortages and high prices in parts of Europe, including France, where diesel has surpassed €2.40 per liter. Dubai crude recently closed at about $118.40 per barrel, he said, while diesel prices have risen even more sharply internationally.
Malik said the government is reviewing the situation carefully and will make decisions weighing both available resources and the financial burden on the public. Despite financial and resource constraints, he said, the state will take whatever steps are necessary to protect its interests.
The government has allocated roughly 30 billion to 40 billion rupees for measures aimed at providing relief to economically weaker segments, according to the minister. He said the federal government released 180 million rupees in a single day under a petrol-related relief mechanism, with payments made to about 7,300 petrol pumps nationwide. More than 2 million people have registered under the initiative, he added, while about 25 million motorcycles are operating across Pakistan.
Malik said the government is also preparing for challenges expected during the winter season, particularly concerns over liquefied natural gas supplies.
He said he invited Jamaat-e-Islami leader Liaquat Baloch to his office and briefed him on the government’s position and the fuel situation. While the party has the right to hold peaceful protests, Malik said, it should also present practical solutions to the country’s problems. He added that the government will not allow any attempt to march on or besiege Islamabad.
Responding to criticism from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, Malik said the provincial chief executive should focus on his responsibilities instead of repeatedly criticizing the federal government.
On proposals to create new provinces, Malik said his party’s leadership believes the matter should be discussed in Parliament. Whether through local government elections, the creation of new provinces or another mechanism, he said, decisions should ultimately serve the interests of the people.
