Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday directed the relevant departments to enhance mutual coordination and forge a practicable and comprehensive strategy to "reduce petroleum prices as much as possible," while blaming the previous governments of mismanagement in the determination of the prices.
The PM issued these instructions, while chairing a meeting on possible measures to be taken by the federal government to reduce petroleum prices, attended by Energy Minister Omar Ayub Khan, Planning Minister Asad Umar, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Petroleum Nadeem Babar, and other senior officials concerned.
A statement from the Prime Minister's Office said, the PM was briefed on the import of petroleum products and different factors influencing the petroleum prices and related expenditures.
"The PM was informed that neither a comprehensive mechanism was adopted by the previous governments regarding demand and supply of the petroleum products nor were any appropriate steps taken to reduce the transportation and miscellaneous expenses involving petroleum products as a result of which the people of Pakistan had to bear the brunt of rising petroleum prices," the statement said.
"The PM expressed strong concern on the fact that the people of Pakistan had to pay the price of criminal negligence of the previous governments at the administrative level. The PM was of the view that the failure of the previous governments to form a long-term strategy regarding the petroleum prices, and, instead, their focus on temporary and short-term measures is a glaring example of their incompetence and negligence," the statement quoted the PM as having said.
Imran Khan, the statement said, directed that all the relevant departments should enhance mutual coordination to forge a practicable and comprehensive strategy to reduce petroleum prices, as much as possible, with the reduction in transportation and miscellaneous expenses involving petroleum products keeping in view the national requirements and growth rate to meet the future requirements.
Faced with enormous criticism from public and political circles for unprecedented hike in power and gas tariffs, the PM last month ordered a freeze on the gas and electricity tariffs and called for the best possible options to reduce the burden of various surcharges in gas and electricity bills.
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