Govt likely to reduce petroleum prices for September
The petrol price is expected to be reduced by Rs4.49 per litre.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The government is likely to reduce prices of petroleum products for the month of September 2019, owing to decline in prices in the international market, sources familiar with the matter told Dunya News on Friday.
The petrol price is expected to be reduced by Rs4.49 per litre, whereas the price of diesel is likely to be decrease by Rs5.33. These prices shall be applicable from September 1.
In an unprecedented move by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (PM) on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, she took to Twitter to inform the general public about the good news; however the finance ministry later rejected the announcement by stating that it was the privilege of the concerned ministry to declare any alterations in the prices of petroleum products and not information ministry.
It further mentioned that certain reports in the media about the changes in prices of petroleum products were incorrect and a press release would be issued in this regard.
As the confusion continued and various cabinet members engaged in talks, Energy Minister Omar Ayub Khan took to Twitter to announce that the government was extending full benefit of the price reductions in the international market to the people. He also issued a written statement about price adjustments.
Earlier, Dr Awan, in a tweet, mentioned that the price of petrol was reduced by Rs4.59 per litre, bringing down its price from Rs117.83 per litre to Rs113.24 per litre.
Her tweet further read that the price of high-speed diesel (HSD) for September, 2019, has been decreased by Rs7.67, taking down its price from Rs132.47 per litre to Rs124.80 per litre.
Likewise, it added that the price of light diesel oil has been reduced by Rs5.63 per litre, from Rs97.52 per litre to Rs91.89 per litre.
The price of kerosene oil has also been reduced from Rs103.94 per litre to Rs99.57 per litre, showing a decrease of Rs4.27 per litre.
It is pertinent to mention here that the prices of petroleum products were increased for the month of August, 2019 and for the first time, the finance ministry had not officially announced the change in prices, but instead it directly informed the oil companies about new prices.
The media felt extreme difficulty in obtaining accurate information due to unavailability of an official notification at that time.
