Petrol prices falling, but no relief for public, says PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said that while petrol prices were set to drop, the benefit would not be passed on to consumers immediately. Instead, the government will divert the savings towards building a motorway-style highway in Balochistan to address long-standing infrastructure gaps.

Addressing a meeting of the federal cabinet, the prime minister said, “Petroleum prices are going down today, but we have decided not to transfer this relief to the public. This time, the savings will be used to construct a high-standard highway on the deadly N-25 route linking Karachi, Khuzdar, Quetta and Chaman.”

The government did the same in March as it deprived the public of relief by increasing the petroleum levy instead of passing on the benefits of fluctuations in international markets and import premiums.

Continuing the reasoning for not passing on the relief to the public, the PM said the road, often referred to as the “killer highway”, has claimed over 2,000 lives due to its poor condition and lack of dual carriageways.

“We have built modern motorways from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Sukkur, and the Sukkur-Hyderabad-Karachi stretch is also underway. But Balochistan has long been neglected — this is our moment to right that wrong.”

The premier said the estimated cost of the project had risen from Rs250 billion in 2022-23 to around Rs300 billion now, and the highway will be completed within two years. “Though it will be a highway, the quality will match that of a motorway,” he said.

Shehbaz Sharif stressed that this was not just a road project, but a commitment to the people of Balochistan. “This is our Eid gift to the nation — especially to Balochistan. We want the people there to feel they are equally part of the federation and that their voices are being heard.”

On the economic front, the prime minister highlighted that a Rs7.5 per unit reduction in electricity tariffs had already been implemented for all categories of consumers, including businesses, terming it a boost for the economy.

He also condemned the recent killing of eight Pakistani nationals, calling it “utterly reprehensible”, and said he expected Iranian authorities to swiftly arrest and punish those responsible.