Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has warned that petrol could become unavailable in Pakistan even at Rs1,000 per litre if the ongoing global oil crisis continues.
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Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Naqvi said fuel prices were rising worldwide amid the prevailing global situation, while several countries were facing difficulties in securing petrol supplies.
“Look at the global situation and where petrol prices are heading. If this crisis continues, petrol may not even be available at Rs1,000 per litre,” he said.
Naqvi said the government was making efforts to maintain uninterrupted fuel supplies in Pakistan. He added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was closely concerned about the situation, while Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and other officials were working to prevent disruptions.
Referring to efforts to secure oil supplies, Naqvi said the government had faced significant difficulties in arranging shipments.
“Only we know how difficult it was to get our oil ships out yesterday,” he said.
The interior minister added that several countries in the region were also facing difficulties in obtaining petrol.
He said the government was examining different options to reduce the impact of rising petrol prices on consumers.
Naqvi’s remarks came a day after Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik warned that petrol prices could reach Rs1,000 per litre if a fuel shortage emerged in Pakistan.
Speaking to journalists in Lahore on Sunday, Malik said petroleum prices in Pakistan had already increased by around 50%, while international fuel prices had also risen sharply amid the global energy crisis.
Malik, however, said on Sunday that Pakistan was not currently facing a petrol shortage and that the government was working to maintain fuel supplies.
