The National Assembly's Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources Tuesday recommended for the third time to the government to bring down oil prices at July 31 level, saying if the committee's recommendations were ignored, the committee should be dissolved.
The meeting held here with Engineer Tariq Khatak in the chair was also attended by Asghar Jatt, Barjees Tahir, Rana Afzal, Jamshid Dasti, Sheikh Aftab Ahmed, Abdul Waseem and Syed Haider Ali Shah. The members setting aside the agenda of the committee said that if the government was not implementing their recommendations, they would move a privilege motion against Secretary Petroleum, Secretary Finance and Chairman Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority during the upcoming session of the National Assembly. Briefing the committee, Dr Waqar Masud, Secretary Ministry of Petroleum said that the government was collecting Petroleum Levy (PL) @ Rs 10 per litre of petrol along with 16 percent General Sales tax (GST). He further said that on per litre of petrol Rs 3.65 was inland freight margin, Rs 1.98 Oil Marketing Companies (OMC) margin and Rs 2.37 dealer margin. Masood added PL on per litre of diesel was Rs 8 per litre and GST @ 16 percent.
The committee members while showing grave concern over the weekly review of petroleum prices said that the government was providing an opportunity to petrol pump owners to earn hefty profit by implementing the price increase hours before it became effective.
The committee observed that the petrol stations do not implement the directive till the issuance of the notification which is after midnight Sunday. Waqar Masud said that the government has introduced weekly prices determination mechanism on trial basis for three months adding that, if price determination would be on monthly basis then it would cause extra burden on masses which will lead to massive hike in the prices of basic commodities. He said that ministry alone could not remove GST and petroleum levy on products hence legislation was required in this regard.
Rana Afzal of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) termed the petroleum products prices weekly review illegal adding that on one meeting of the parliamentary committee an amount of Rs 5 million was spent. He added that it was for the third time that committee had unanimously recommended to the government to bring down fuel price at July 31, 2012 level, but still no action had been taken.
Chairman Tariq Khattak said that standing committee recommended no increase in petroleum prices, but Ministry and Ogra did not take any notice and increased the prices. Shiekh Aftab said that during past two years government had increased oil price twenty four times.
Standing committee asked under which rule prices were increased but Ogra and Petroleum Ministry every time failed to give a proper reply. The committee showed anger over the absence of the Managing Director (MD) Pak-Arab Refinery (Parco) who did not attend the committee meeting despite a request. On a question by members, Secretary Petroleum assured the committee that in the next meeting MD Parco would attend the meeting and answer all the queries of the members.
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