Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pledges petroleum relief

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with a delegation from the Jamaat-e-Islami party, led by Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman, to discuss the rising burden of petroleum product prices on the public. The Prime Minister stated that the current price increases are driven by regional and international circumstances rather than government policy, but emphasized that the administration remains committed to providing relief based on its financial capacity.

During the meeting, both parties agreed to form a joint committee consisting of three representatives each from the government and Jamaat-e-Islami. This committee is tasked with developing recommendations to expand the scope of existing fuel relief schemes and proposing actionable steps for a gradual reduction of the petroleum levy in future budgets.

Sharif also informed the delegation that approximately 12.7 million people have already registered for the government’s fuel relief scheme aimed at supporting low-income groups. The Prime Minister noted that diplomatic efforts are ongoing to resolve regional crises and stabilize the situation.