Former Prime Minister and head of Awam Pakistan Party Shahid Khaqan Abbasi stated that it is important to present the facts regarding the current petroleum situation, adding that the government increased fuel prices as soon as the war began.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, he said that preventing hoarding is the government’s responsibility, but it has failed to effectively manage the petroleum situation.
Abbasi emphasized that petroleum prices should be deregulated and left to market forces. He stated that such a move would not pose any risk and would eliminate the need for the Prime Minister to adjust prices at midnight.
He added that oil companies have earned billions, which ultimately came from the public, and urged the government to focus on electric vehicle policies, especially electric motorcycles. According to him, these measures could reduce the financial burden by up to $6 billion.
The former Prime Minister said that a solar revolution has taken place in the country without direct government intervention, as people have installed 26,000 megawatts of solar systems on their own. However, the government has imposed taxes on solar energy, which he termed concerning.
He also criticized the level of corruption in the country, stating that it exists at every level and is widely known, adding that distributing money is not a solution and that proper policies must be developed.
Abbasi further said that the LNG issue has now been resolved, as LNG is no longer being imported into Pakistan. He suggested that if LNG is considered a problem, it should be discontinued entirely, and the sector should be left to the private sector, as policy allows private entities to import LNG.
