ISLAMABAD: Minister for Petroleum Ghulam Sarwar Khan on Friday assured that the petroleum prices and taxes will be reviewed and fixed in accordance with the international market prices.
Addressing a press conference, he said that the ministry will particularly review the price of diesel and ensure that its price is set at par with the price of petrol which was cheaper than petrol before 2004.
He said that efforts will be made to improve local production of refined and crude petroleum products which is presently at 15 per cent against 85 per cent of imports. He added that the ministry will strengthen the role of the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) to improve local production.
He said that Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) has discovered new oil exploration of 23 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) at District Sanghar of Sindh with the production of 91 barrels per day. He said that the country has rich oil resources which will be focused on and explored in the coming days to improve local production.
Replying to a question, he said that all major agreements and particularly those which were hidden will be examined and placed on the ministry’s official website. He added that the ministry will examine all such agreements before any step taken by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
He said that under the new policy, in future no official will be allowed to hold duplicate, acting or additional charge along with an actual charge in the ministry and attached companies. He added that professionals will be appointed on all vacant posts through advertisement.
He said that in line with the policies of Prime Minister Imran Khan, efforts will be made to minimise the expenditures to protect the available resources while steps will also be taken to further minimise line losses and other leakages in the petroleum sector.
He added that there will be zero tolerance regarding corruption at any level and all additional official vehicles have to return back to the ministry by its officials in the ministry or attached companies.
He said that efforts will be made for an early start of the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India Pipeline (TAPI) project. He added the federal government was not moving ahead on the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project due to sanctions imposed on Iran, however, the government will try to avoid reaching such a situation when Iran goes to the International Court of Law.
