ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar has directed to ensure that the benefits of 12.38 percent decrease in petrol price and 4.7 percent in diesel price are passed on to the common man, as soon as possible.

The caretaker premier, on Monday, presided over a meeting to ensure that the effects of the reduction in the prices of petroleum products are passed on to the common man through a decline in the prices of essential commodities.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the meeting was informed that due to the recent decrease in the prices of petroleum products, the inflation rate decreased by 1.7 percent, which is the highest decrease in the last one year.

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The caretaker prime minister said that due to the stability of the dollar and the reduction in the prices of petroleum products, a total of Rs41 billion have been saved whose relief will be passed on to the common man.

Kakar directed that the measures should be accelerated to pass on the benefits of reduction in the prices of petroleum products to the common man and hoarders and profiteers should be dealt with sternly.

He said that the common man benefited from the operation against power theft and smuggling.

He added that an average decrease in the price of sugar is 18 percent and in wheat 16 percent, which is welcomed. The meeting was informed about the recent reduction in the prices of petroleum products and the results of the operation against smuggling and electricity theft.

The meeting was told that due to the efforts of the administration, the prices of 24 essential items have decreased and a substantial reduction in prices of agricultural production, electricity, rents, and industrial production is being ensured.

It was further told that the Ministry of Planning is using the Decision Support System App developed by the National Statistical Institute for monitoring the prices of food and essential items. The chief ministers of Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab, and the chief secretary of Balochistan gave a briefing on the measures taken by them.

They told the meeting that due to initiatives of the provincial administration, travel fares have decreased by an average of 10 percent.

Operation is being conducted against hoarders and profiteers.

The district administration is ensuring a reduction in the prices of food and essential items as a result of the reduction in the prices of petroleum products.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023