Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Thursday that the government has not yet made any decision regarding a subsidy on petroleum products despite growing concerns about rising fuel prices.
Speaking to the media outside Parliament in Islamabad, the finance minister said the government is closely monitoring the evolving situation and may review the option of providing a subsidy if necessary.
“We will see if any decision on a subsidy is taken,” Aurangzeb said while responding to a question about possible relief for consumers in light of increasing petroleum prices.
The minister said a special high-level committee has been meeting daily at 2:00 pm to review developments related to fuel supply and price trends. The committee includes the minister for petroleum, the minister for power, the governor of the central bank, and the minister of state for finance, along with other senior officials.
Aurangzeb noted that the rapidly changing regional and global situation has made it necessary for the government to monitor developments on a daily basis.
He assured that Pakistan currently has adequate reserves of gas and diesel. The government is also assessing the availability of LNG and LPG supplies in international markets to ensure continued energy security.
“We are closely monitoring both the prices and supply of petroleum products in the current evolving situation,” the finance minister said.
Aurangzeb added that the government will continue to keep the public informed as the situation develops and further policy decisions are made.
