ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called upon the whole country to unite and work towards conserving fuel as well as practicing austerity owing to the tensions prevalent in the region currently.
Addressing an important meeting for the implementation of petroleum product conservation and energy-saving and austerity measures, PM Shehbaz Sharif stressed the need for taking such measures in order to secure economic stability in the region. During the meeting, some steps were proposed for reducing energy consumption as well as conserving foreign exchange.
In the briefing during the meeting, it became clear that the government would close all markets and shopping complexes in the provinces of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan, and Islamabad from 8 PM on in order to conserve fuel and ensure uninterrupted electricity flow.
On the other hand, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly denounced the act of hoarding of petroleum products and vowed severe measures against such persons.
He also rejected the act of hoarding of petroleum products, saying that it would never be tolerated under any circumstances. He assured severe punishment for hoarding of petroleum products.
“Some of the country’s energy is produced using petroleum products. The markets are closing at 8 PM and other steps are meant to conserve foreign exchange and ensure energy availability,” said the Prime Minister.
Moreover, the briefing informed that discussions are going on between the federal and Sindh governments regarding the issue of markets closing at 8 PM. The provincial governments have also started registering people who get subsidies on petroleum products. After verification, the payments are being disbursed to them digitally.
Subsidies have been constantly disbursed to freight carriers, buses, and trucks, in association with the Ministry of IT and State Bank of Pakistan, since April 4.
The meeting was attended by Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Ministers Dr. Ahsan Iqbal, Abdul Aleem Khan, Dr. Musaddiq Masood Malik, Ahad Khan Cheema, Attaullah Tarar, Shaza Fatima Khwaja, Sardar Owais Ahmed Laghari, and Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, along with various other senior officials, including the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, Chief Secretaries of the four provinces, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan, and the Inspector General of Police.
