Lahore (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 21 March 2026) Federalism Information and Broadcasting Minister Ataullah Tarar said that under the prevailing circumstances, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took timely decisions to replenish the country’s oil reserves.
He said this during a joint press conference with Federal Petroleum Minister Ali Parvez Malik here on Saturday.
Ataullah Tarar said that the Prime Minister directed the Ministry of Petroleum in this regard, and Petroleum Minister Ali Parvez Malik and his entire team worked hard to avoid oil shortage in the country.
He added that many countries in the region follow mechanisms for rationing fuel consumption.
But by the grace of God Almighty, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formed a committee and held daily review meetings, ensuring reasonable oil reserves in the country.
He further stated that future oil shipments are also being arranged, as informed by the Petroleum Minister.
He said that the absence of fuel shortages does not mean that resources must be misused. The available resources are very expensive, including Gulf oil Prices Oil prices are rising dramatically, rising from $70 per barrel to $158 per barrel. Pakistan It is also facing the impact of this rise in oil prices.
The minister said that oil prices in Pakistan are set in line with global market prices.
He added that great efforts have been made to ensure that no additional burden is imposed on the public after the initial increase of Rs 55 per annum. gasoline price.
He said that austerity and simplicity would be adopted, and the government would do its best not to burden the people.
He said that all the austerity measures announced by the Prime Minister are being implemented.
The Minister of Information said: “We are responsible for our ministries and are implementing austerity measures.”
He urged the public to avoid unnecessary things He travels Adopting an oil conservation approach.
He stressed the promotion of shared mobility, such as the use of shared cars. Those who own more than one car You should prefer low fuel consumption vehicles to reduce fuel consumption.
He said that collective efforts are required under the current circumstances and that government measures have been positive results.
He said that a proposal was made last week to increase petrol prices by Rs 50 per liter and diesel by Rs 74 per litre.
However, the Prime Minister ensured savings by cutting the development budget, resulting in a saving of Rs 24 lakh one billion And protect the public from additional burdens.
He added that during the current week, when global oil prices rose again, a proposal was made to raise petrol prices by Rs 77 per liter and diesel by Rs 176 per litre.
Over the past two weeks, the federal government has provided Rs69 billion relief to avoid burdening the public.
He said that there is a possibility of developing a mechanism whereby the poor benefit, while those who are able to bear it bear the greatest burden.
Atallah Tarar said that the nation must unite and take the necessary measures to preserve oil.
He stressed that available oil must be treated as a valuable resource and must not be misused.
He stressed that Pakistan imports oil and must conserve foreign exchange, and urged everyone to do their part.
He added that the entire nation must contribute to the austerity measures and that future planning is necessary, especially since global oil prices may rise further due to the ongoing conditions in the region.
He said that despite the difficult situation, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif did not shift the burden on people during Eid al-Fitr.
He concluded that the Prime Minister, his deputy, the entire government, and the Field Marshal are committed to making things as easy as possible for the people.
Earlier, Federal Petroleum Minister Ali Parvez Malik said that the entire region is involved in the conflicts.
He said that three weeks ago, crude oil prices in the Gulf were $70 per barrel, rose to $170 per barrel, and reached $160 per barrel on Friday.
He added that within a few weeks, oil prices rose by more than two to three times.
He added that diesel prices have also increased significantly.
Considering this situation, the current government led by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has decided to pass on the slightly higher prices to the market.
He said that a clear message had been sent to refineries not to hesitate to buy expensive fuel to avoid fuel shortages.
He said the government’s first priority was to ensure fuel availability, while the Prime Minister also announced austerity measures to save money. your a result Among these measures, 27 billion rupees have been allocated to a special fund.
This amount helped the government manage the impact of rising diesel and petrol prices.
To provide maximum relief to the people during Eid al-Fitr, the Prime Minister decided that the government would bear the burden of rising oil prices and keep the prices of petroleum products unchanged.
He said the government wants people to show responsible fuel consumption behavior and avoid unnecessary use of oil.
He added that the federal government would spare no effort to provide relief to citizens and would also consult with provincial governments to arrange more resources.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar arranged crude oil supplies to Pakistan after talks with the Saudi government.
He said that Saudi Arabia supplies Pakistan with crude oil through the Red Sea without interruption, while… United Arab Emirates Oil was supplied from Fujairah.
He concluded that Pakistan, with the grace of God Almighty, will overcome this difficult stage through its diplomatic strength and discipline.