Petrol price was to increase by Rs 15 on Friday but burden was put on refineries instead of public, Petroleum Minister

Refineries earned in 3 months profit they did not earn in years, with help of refineries petrol prices were kept stable

Islamabad: Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik has said that on Friday petrol price was to be increased by Rs 15 but on direction of Prime Minister this burden was put on refineries instead of transferring it to public. He said this while holding press conference in Islamabad along with Information Minister Atta Tarar.

Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz said that increase in energy prices at global level has also affected Pakistani economy, in view of situation in region transportation costs have also increased, provision of relief to public is among important priorities of Prime Minister, government has launched fuel subsidy scheme for public relief, crores of people are benefiting from fuel subsidy scheme, trend of increase in prices in global markets is continuing, expenses of insurance and logistics are increasing, difficulties are being faced due to tense situation in region.

He said that in difficult time, cooperation has been requested from oil refineries to give relief to public, with cooperation of oil refineries we will be able to provide petrol cheaper by Rs 15 per liter to public, with help of refineries petrol prices were kept stable, even today some relief will be given in petrol prices, refineries have earned in 3 months so much profit which they did not earn in years, on Friday petrol prices were to be increased by Rs 15, but refineries cooperated in this regard, along with government refineries have taken load of Rs 15 billion.

Ali Pervaiz Malik said that more than 13 million consumers are benefiting from petroleum products from government relief, government does not want to do injustice with anyone, want to come out of international crisis in transparent manner. Information Minister Atta Tarar

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that vision of Prime Minister from first day was that minimum burden of increase in petroleum products prices should be put on public, like world over Pakistani economy also affected due to situation in region, situation in Bab al-Mandab and Strait of Hormuz has affected economy of every country, Pakistani economy also affected but our macro economic indicators remained better, on Friday petrol price was to increase by Rs 15, on direction of Prime Minister this burden was put on refineries, to transfer minimum burden to public is mission of Prime Minister.

Information Minister said that it was not possible to devise system like Prime Minister fuel relief, under Prime Minister fuel relief scheme more than 15 million registrations have been done, registration of such large number of people and provision of cheap oil to them is big proof of success of any scheme, so far Rs 27 billion has been given in head of relief under scheme.

Information Minister said that fuel relief scheme will continue for provision of relief to public, relief scheme was started for motorcycles, Qingqi and small vehicles, relevant departments together took steps for fuel subsidy scheme, under strategy further increase in petroleum products prices was stopped.