Petrol price in Pakistan: Khaqan Abbasi warns of difficult decisions

KARACHI: Senior PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Wednesday warned of an increase in petrol price, saying difficult decisions will have to be made to address the worsening situation.

Speaking to the journalists in Karachi, the former prime minister said that the government is selling petroleum products at lower prices than the cost.

“Difficult decisions will have to be made to manage the economy and only then the situation will change for the better,” he said.

It is important to mention here that Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif had rejected a proposal to hike the petrol price on April 15 for the next fortnight to provide relief to the masses, citing high inflation in the country.

The economic experts have also advised the government to end the subsidy as it would cost the national exchequer dearly while the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has also opposed the move.

Abbasi, in response to a query today, also questioned the performance of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and said that cameras should be installed in the courts to show what the anti-graft body is doing.

He said we all have to decide today whether to run NAB or the government, bureaucrats have said that they cannot work in the presence of NAB, and the solution is to shut it down.

“Do not end opposition cases, the biggest beneficiary from the closure of NAB would be Imran Khan. If this institution remains, this country will not be able to function, hopefully, the cabinet will make a better decision in this regard.”