ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan, on Saturday, said that oil prices were increased in the country due to soaring oil prices in the international market, but petrol prices are still cheap compared to 130 countries of the world.
Speaking at a presser, he said that out of 160 countries of the world, Pakistan is at 30th number where oil prices are cheap compared to the rest of the world.
"The oil prices of 80 percent countries including entire Europe, America, Canada, Far East countries were more than the prices of Pakistan," he claimed.
He said that Middle Eastern countries had less prices of oil as compared to Pakistan or those which were oil producing countries.
In South Asian region, he added, Pakistan is at lowest level in oil prices compared to the countries including India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and Maldives.
"Pakistan is not only at the lowest level in oil prices but also in prices of essential commodities in all over South Asia," he added.
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The minister said that it is world of technology and nothing could be kept hidden as everything could be verified through internet within no time.
When oil prices would witness the climbing trend, he added, certainly gas prices would also be increased as oil and gas prices are interlinked.
When oil and gas prices would notice an upward trend, power generation prices would have to be adjusted as all are interlinked, he said.
"These prices would affect the cost of production and transportation charges and ultimately prices of daily use items would increase," he added.
He went on to say that Pakistan is not the only country where the POL prices have gone up, as the entire world is facing the crisis, adding the taxation on oil prices was reduced as the PTI government was committed to provide relief to the citizens.
To a question, he said that almost 40 percent people would be compensated and to be provided relief as funds had been allocated and the government was working to provide targeted subsidy to the people during this year particularly on essential commodities.
The government had fixed Rs 1,120 wheat flour price of per 20 kilogram per bag in open market and Rs 90 per kg sugar price, he said, adding, we would ensure implementation of the government decision in true spirit and try to ensure availability of flour and sugar at fixed prices.
"The government is ensuring the recruitment purely on merit. All the inductions made by the PTI government are being done 100 percent on merit," he added.
He said that no government across the world could provide jobs to all the citizens in the public sector, adding the governments facilitate the private sector and generate resources, so that job opportunities could be created.
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"The government has made hectic efforts to facilitate the private sector and generated resources to open up avenues, so that unemployed youngsters could get job opportunities in private sector," he added.
The textile industry was facing difficulties and the industrial units were closed during the previous regime.
Faisalabad, Sialkot, and other industrial cities had provided a large number of jobs to the unemployed youngsters due to solid steps taken by the government.
The representatives of the Chambers of Commerce had appreciated efforts of the government, he said.
The exports of the country had increased and due to job creation, the factories were running day and night.
He said that Metro bus service would be extended to new international airport by the end of December, this year, adding the company would run buses from Saddar and Secretariat to new Islamabad International Airport and the commuters would get quality travelling facility on these routes.
He said that no commercial flight operation was done by any international airline but Pakistan International Airline continued its operations to airlift the standard passengers from Afghanistan.
Nearly 5,500 passengers were evacuated but due to certain conditions imposed by Afghan Civil Aviation Authority, the operations were suspended.
"But now, they have requested to restore the PIA operations and we are going to restart commercial operations," he added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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