ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday reiterated that Pakistan was continuing its efforts for the restoration of peace in the Middle East amid escalating global fuel prices.
The premier made the remarks while addressing a meeting of the federal cabinet. In his address, he noted that global oil prices had “skyrocketed” due to the instability in the region.
“Pakistan is playing its role as before in restoring peace in the region,” he said, recalling Pakistan’s recent engagements with Tehran and other regional actors in the matter, as well as engagements under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye.
Last month, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, accompanied by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, visited Iran as part of Pakistan’s efforts to mediate between Washington and Tehran.
In another meeting in October, held under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, CDF Munir, the Saudi defence minister, and the Turkish spymaster met top Iranian officials in Tehran. Last week, the military’s spokesman said Pakistan remained “cautiously optimistic” about its mediation between the US and Iran.
On Tuesday, PM Shehbaz also recalled that the government had planned to hike fuel prices by Rs15 on Friday.
“Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik [..] talked to the refineries to bear the burden in their windfall profits. We will not let a common man bear this burden,” he added.
Speaking about the fuel subsidy scheme, launched in September, the premier said it would run till the end of December.
“Rs28 billion has been spent so far,” he said, adding that the scheme was running “successfully and transparently” and that the Intelligence Bureau (IB) continued to monitor it.
On liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), the prime minister said that the “era of mafiaa” was over and it was now being arranged transparently.
“Now when LPG is imported, competition will be promoted and it will be auctioned in lots. The government will take the profits and subsidise it for the common man,” he said.
He also stressed that the federal government was holding meetings “day and night” to meet LPG, liquefied natural gas (LNG), petrol and gas requirements ahead of winter despite challenges arising from the closure of maritime routes.
LPG supply has been disrupted in the country due to the closure of Iranian border crossings, resulting in gas cylinders being sold at twice the official rate in the open market.
PM Shehbaz also said that the federal government had finalised a proposed Rs160bn package for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“Security is our number one, two and three priority in KP,” the premier remarked. He further noted that counterterrorism efforts continued in the region.
With the efforts of law enforcement agencies, the new government in KP and the support of the federal government, we will crush terrorism,” he said.
