Federal Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik has said the government understands the public’s difficulties caused by rising fuel prices. He said Pakistan is openly explaining how petrol prices are determined.
Speaking at a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Petroleum, Malik said regional tensions had disrupted oil supplies. He said the situation had affected supplies of petrol, diesel and crude oil.
The petroleum minister said diesel prices had reached unusually high levels in the international market. He acknowledged that people were facing financial pressure because of higher fuel costs.
During the meeting, Naveed Qamar raised concerns about the petroleum levy and its role in fuel prices. He said parliamentarians do not directly vote on the levy because it remains within the executive’s authority.
Malik responded that petroleum levy targets are included in the federal budget. He said changes to these targets cannot be made without considering Pakistan’s commitments with multilateral partners.
The minister also rejected concerns that fuel pricing information was being withheld. He said details about the pricing mechanism and petroleum levy were available on the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority website.
Malik said the government was aware of public concerns over Pakistan fuel prices. He added that consumers were being informed about the actual cost of petrol in a transparent manner amid continued pressure on the energy market.
