Petroleum minister defends fuel price freeze

ISLAMABAD: Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik Wednesday defended the government’s decision to maintain the current fuel prices, saying they remained lower than those in the neighboring countries and that the freeze supported the development priorities in Balochistan.

In a televised address on the state-run PTV, Malik said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had made the “difficult decision” to withhold a proposed reduction in petrol prices to help finance the infrastructure projects in Balochistan, including upgrades to the N-25 highway linking Chaman to the interior of the province.

“Even today, the prices of petroleum products in Pakistan are lower than in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal,” he said, adding that petrol and diesel prices had been reduced by Rs30 to Rs40 per litre since the current government took office.

He urged the public to accept what he called a “small inconvenience” for the sake of long-term national development. “The prime minister’s economic vision is inclusive and sustainable, with a special focus on underdeveloped regions like Balochistan,” he said.

He also pointed to the signs of economic recovery, claiming inflation had dropped to below 1 percent. “Shehbaz Sharif has alleviated your hardship by curbing inflation,” he said.