PM wants facilitation desks to help people buy subsidised fuel

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's administration has set up facilitation desks to help citizens easily obtain fuel subsidies through the newly implemented scheme. These desks will be staffed by administration officials, volunteers, and petrol pump personnel to assist eligible individuals with registration and necessary procedures. The scheme aims to benefit people from all four provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Despite efforts to clarify payment mechanisms, petroleum dealers remain uncertain about how they will be compensated for taking losses on subsidised fuel. The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) expressed frustration, as no one could provide a clear answer from the petroleum ministry, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), or the finance ministry. PPDA members also noted that previous promises made by the government have not been fulfilled.

Ogra attributed the fuel price hikes to elevated international crude oil and petroleum product prices. High-speed diesel prices increased by Rs5.62 per litre to Rs421.45, while petrol prices rose by Rs6.88 per litre to reach Rs391.22 per litre. However, Reuters reported that oil prices fell in the open market due to reports of Saudi Arabia offering additional crude cargoes, easing concerns about Middle East supply disruptions.