Lahore : Petroleum minister , Ali Pervez Malik , has warned that petrol may not be available for Rs 1000 a litre if its shortage occurs in the country.
He made these frightening remarks in Lahore on Sunday while talking to the media persons.
Ali Pervez Malik probably uttered these disappointing remarks to make the people of Pakistan realize that the Shahbaz government was doing great service to the nation by ensuring petrol supply amidst the Middle East (ME) crisis. He through these remarks also probably wanted to give a message to Jamat e Islami (JI), which is on the street against collecting of over Rs 100 petroleum levy on each litre of petrol, that it should not press the government to accept its demand of cheaper petrol.
The same minister had been misguiding the people on the rates of crude oil throughout the ME crisis. Instead giving a true picture of the impact of ME war on petrol prices in the local market rates, Ali Pervez Malik presented exaggerated figures of the crude oil rates at every forum including press talks , business forums and parliament during the ME war.
While uttering highly disappointing statements that the petrol prices may reach to Rs 1000 a litre , the federal minister forgot the rates of petrol in Bangladesh and India. He did referred US and Europe in his press talk and claimed that the prices of gasoline in those rich counties have doubled during ME war, but made no reference of any regional country where petrol prices are much less than Pakistan.
Petroleum minister , Ali Pervez, also misguided the nation while speaking on the gas availability and its rates during upcoming winter season. He knows very well that entire Pakistan faces gas shortage during winter each year , but they are forced to pay exaggerated / inflated gas bills.
The nation is at loss to understand as to why Petroleum minister is continuously issuing disappointing statements at a time when the entire Pakistani nation is already passing through hard times due to killing inflation and unemployment in the country.