ISLAMABAD: The federal government has allocated Rs125 billion from savings and development funds to stop a rise in oil prices and protect the public from the effects of the ongoing regional war, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.
The decision was reviewed in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, where the government examined steps taken for fuel conservation and better use of resources in view of the current situation in the region.
The meeting was attended through video link by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, along with federal ministers Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Ali Pervaiz Malik, Ataullah Tarar, Dr Musadiq Malik, Ahsan Iqbal, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Owais Khan Laghari, Special Assistant Tariq Bajwa, State Bank Governor Jameel Ahmad, and other senior officials.
According to the statement, the prime minister said that due to timely government decisions, the country has enough petroleum products to meet its essential needs. He said the government’s top priority has remained public relief, and maximum support has been provided over the last three weeks.
In his address to the nation on Friday, PM Shehbaz said that based on current international market rates, petrol should have been sold at Rs544 per litre in Pakistan, but the government is providing it at Rs322 per litre.
He added that diesel should have been priced at Rs790 per litre, but it is being supplied at Rs335 per litre to reduce the burden on the people.
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The prime minister said the government has so far spent Rs69 billion to stop an increase of Rs127 per litre in petrol prices and Rs252 per litre in high-speed diesel prices.
During the meeting, citizens were urged to support the government’s fuel-saving campaign, avoid unnecessary travel, and prefer teleconferencing in offices and workplaces wherever possible.
PM Shehbaz also directed the provincial governments to help motorcycle and rickshaw owners register their vehicles in their own names. The move is aimed at creating a digital database of motorcycles and rickshaws across the country so that owners can benefit from future relief programmes.
He further instructed the relevant authorities to stay in close contact with the chief secretaries of all four provinces, as well as Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Officials informed the meeting that progress on fuel-saving and cost-cutting measures is being monitored regularly. They said the supply, demand and full supply chain of petroleum products are being tracked through a newly developed digital dashboard.
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The meeting was also told that arrangements for petrol imports for April have been completed.
According to the briefing, Pakistan has so far avoided the long queues and fuel supply mismanagement seen in many other countries, showing what officials described as effective government planning.
The meeting also discussed a fuel support programme for motorcycle and rickshaw operators, including the launch of a dedicated mobile application to make the system easier to implement.
On Saturday, the government decided to introduce an app-based fuel subsidy system for low-income consumers as part of efforts to manage the ongoing energy crisis and conserve supplies. Under the proposed plan, subsidised petrol will be distributed through a digital platform, allowing eligible users to receive fuel through verified quotas.
Earlier this month, the government had sharply increased petrol and diesel prices by Rs55 per litre, or 20 per cent, citing the US-Israel and Iran conflict, which disrupted global supply chains and pushed crude oil prices to a two-year high.
