PM urges fuel conservation, discourages unnecessary travel amid crisis

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel and support the government’s austerity drive introduced in response to the ongoing Middle East crisis triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran.

Chairing a review meeting on fuel conservation, the prime minister said sufficient petroleum stocks were available in the country due to timely government decisions, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.

He emphasised that providing relief to the public remained a top priority, noting that the government had extended maximum possible support to citizens over the past three weeks.

To offset the impact of rising global oil prices, the government has allocated Rs125 billion through savings and development budget cuts to prevent an increase in petroleum prices and shield consumers from international market pressures.

The premier called on the public to contribute to fuel conservation efforts by limiting unnecessary travel and adopting alternatives such as teleconferencing in offices and workplaces.

He also directed provincial governments to facilitate motorcycle and rickshaw owners in registering vehicles in their own names, stating that this would help digitise data and ensure better access to future relief measures.

The prime minister instructed authorities to strengthen coordination with chief secretaries of all provinces, as well as Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, to ensure effective implementation of measures.

Officials briefed the meeting that petroleum supply, demand, and the entire supply chain were being closely monitored through a digital dashboard, while arrangements for April fuel imports had already been finalised.

They added that, unlike several other countries, Pakistan had avoided long queues or disruptions in fuel supply due to effective planning and timely decisions.

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A briefing was also given on a proposed fuel support programme for motorcycle riders and rickshaw drivers, with an application already prepared for its implementation.

The meeting, held via video link, was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, federal ministers including Ahsan Iqbal and Attaullah Tarar, State Bank Governor Jameel Ahmad, and other senior officials.

Earlier, the prime minister had rejected a proposal to increase petrol and high-speed diesel prices despite a surge in global oil rates, stating that the government would bear the additional burden instead of passing it on to the public.