PM says no to gas price hike

PM Imran rejects OGRA's proposal, directs officials 'not to increase gas price for next few months'

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed the officials concerned not to increase gas price in the next few months.

The prime minister issued these directions while chairing a meeting to review the prices of flour, sugar, gas, petroleum products and other essential commodities on Friday.

“Gas prices should not be increased in the next few months,” he said, while rejecting OGRA’s proposal for 6-7pc increase in gas prices.

The PM emphasized on intensifying the efforts to provide all possible relief to the common man, directing his economic team to ensure stability in flour prices till the government introduces a targeted subsidy scheme.

“A detailed programme is being introduced to provide direct subsidy on flour to the poor,” he said. “The purpose of the subsidy is to provide financial assistance to the downtrodden segment of society so that the burden of inflation on them could be reduced.”

The meeting was also attended by federal ministers Khurso Bakhtiyar, Hafeez Shaikh, Hammad Azhar, Fakhar Imam, Umar Ayub, Asad Umar, advisers Nadeem Babar, Waqar Masood, Tabish Gohar, federal secretaries and other officials.

Separately, while presiding over a high-level meeting in connection with the power sector’s circular debt, Prime Minister Imran Khan blamed the past governments for setting up expensive energy projects.

The PM said that people are paying for the wrong policies of the previous governments, ordering the authorities to bring improvement in the power sector.

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