Islamabad: Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik has announced that despite the ongoing crisis in the Middle East impacting global energy supplies, there is no shortage of petroleum products in Pakistan. This assurance came during a discussion in the National Assembly where Malik detailed the government's strategy to cope with the recent rise in petroleum prices.

According to Radio Pakistan, the national leadership, in collaboration with provincial authorities, has opted to increase petroleum prices while simultaneously providing targeted subsidies to vulnerable segments of society. This decision, as explained by Malik, was necessitated by the regional conflict affecting global energy supply chains.

Highlighting Pakistan's dependency on imports for eighty to ninety percent of its petroleum needs, Malik stated that the government has secured an uninterrupted supply of petroleum products by diversifying import routes. Oil is now being imported via the Yanbu port in Saudi Arabia and through ports in the UAE and Oman, ensuring continued availability of petroleum products in the country.

Further addressing the House, Malik emphasized the government's commitment to maintaining fertilizer availability. He assured that an uninterrupted gas supply is being provided to all ten fertilizer factories, with strict directives from the Prime Minister to keep fertilizer prices stable at 4,500 rupees per bag.

Additionally, Malik briefed the National Assembly on the targeted subsidy program, highlighting that millions of rupees are being distributed to motorcyclists, passengers, goods transporters, and farmers via digital wallets to mitigate the impact of rising petroleum prices.