National News

ISLAMABAD, (APP): Minister for Petroleum and Natural
Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Friday categorically said that the
government did not earn a single additional penny on account of
price reduction in petroleum products at international level.
He said Pakistan’s petroleum products prices are still
the lowest as compared to other countries of the world.
He was oncluding a two-day debate on the motions for not
passing on benefits to people and further burdening gas consumers
levy of Rs 101 billion in the country.
The minister said that the government has passed on benefit
of Rs.41 per liter to people so far on account of reduction in
petroleum prices in the international markets.
He said there was a clear directive of the Prime Minister
to pass on the benefit on masses.
Giving the comparison of petrol prices with other countries
of the region, the minister said currently the prices of petrol
in India is Rs. 100 per liter and Rs 130 per liter in Bangladesh
while in Pakistan its prices are Rs.71.25 per liter.
He said international oil markets did witness a significant
reduction in the prices of petroleum products from $ 120 per barrel
to $ 35 per barrel since February 2014. The government had been
charging Rs. 25.78 tax on petroleum products when its prices were
$ 120 per barrel and now almost same Rs. 25.59 tax was being
charged in the country.
He said all developed and European counties earned major
chunk of their income from taxation on petroleum products.
Shahid Khaqan said the Sindh Assembly had also passed a
resolution to fix petrol prices at Rs 40 per liter. However,
he pointed out that “petrol is not even available at Rs 40 per
liter in the exporting countries”.
He said the government has adopted a prudent policy in
this regard and its prices were lowest as compared to other
importing countries.
The minister refuted the Opposition parties’ allegation
that the government was going to overburden gas consumers with
Rs 101 billion and said that no additional tax was imposed on
the consumers.
He said that the gas system was being augmented through
which it would be transported to the consumers at a cost
Rs 140 billion.
He said that unfortunately no new pipeline was laid by
any past government adding that power plants, fertilizers
industries and CNG sector, running on gas, had been closed.
The energy crisis could not be overcome without the
availability of additional gas and addressing gas-related
issues, he added.
He made it clear that the cost of gas pipeline would
have to be borne by those who would utilize imported gas.
He said in past the consumers bore all the burden but
the incumbent government revised gas prices only one time
despite Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) repeated
proposals to enhance gas tariff by 34 per cent.
The minister said that he was ready to face any
reference in the court and any debate on issue at any
forum
“The reference should also be filed against all those
who did not pay attention to address this grave issue,”
he said.