Petrol prices in Pakistan are comparatively cheap: Finance Minister

Islamabad: Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin while addressing a press conference in Islamabad said that the petrol prices in Pakistan are comparatively cheaper than the region and the world.

He also mentioned that only 16 countries are selling petrol at a low price and those countries are oil producers.

“We are cheaper than the [rest of the] region and the world as well. Do we want to reduce it (petrol price) further? Absolutely,” says Tarin.

It must be noted that these statements came a day after the government has increased the petrol price by Rs4 per litre.

Shaukat Tarin added, "We are not even charging [petroleum] levy even though we have kept a target of Rs600 billion for it in the budget. But we and the prime minister didn't care for it. The prime minister said that we can't burden the people further so this is a signal [about] what feelings the current ruler has for the poor."

The new petrol price is Rs127.30 per litre.