Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, chaired a high-level consultative meeting today at the Finance Division to review the petroleum products situation, following directives from the Honourable President and Prime Minister of Pakistan.
The session began with a presentation by the Petroleum Division on the availability of petroleum products, noting that fuel supply across the country remains stable and sufficient. The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication also outlined technological solutions to implement a targeted subsidy mechanism emphasizing transparency and efficient delivery.
Provincial leaders shared their perspectives on policy options. Syed Murad Ali Shah praised federal efforts to maintain uninterrupted fuel availability while urging behavioral measures to promote conservation. Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb highlighted the need to pass reductions in international petroleum prices to consumers and integrate behavioral considerations into crisis management. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Minister Muzzammil Aslam noted that Pakistan’s petroleum supply management has been comparatively effective in the region. Balochistan Finance Minister Mir Shoaib Nosherwani also contributed to the discussion.
The Finance Division briefed participants on the fiscal outlook, highlighting limited fiscal space mainly tied to revenues from the petroleum levy. Minister Aurangzeb underscored the current scenario as an opportunity for structural reforms, emphasizing data-driven decision-making in taxation and subsidy design, along with promoting responsible consumption and fiscally prudent policy responses.
Participants agreed to expedite the development of a targeted subsidy framework using technological tools while maintaining close coordination between federal and provincial authorities.
The meeting was attended by the chief secretaries of all four provinces, Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, federal secretaries of Finance, Petroleum, and IT, as well as senior officials including the Chairman of NADRA.