September 9, 2003	Tuesday	Rajab 11, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 8: The prices of diesel and kerosene have increased by 100 per cent and 97 per cent, respectively, after military takeover in Oct 1999, the National Assembly was told here on Monday.

Petroleum and Natural Resource Minister Chaudhry Noraiz Shakoor, in a written statement, said the prices of high speed diesel (HSD) on Oct 1, 1999, was Rs10.66 per litre which had increased to Rs21.32 per litre on Sept 1, 2003.

The light diesel oil (LDO) price was also increased from Rs8.50 per litre in Oct 1999 to Rs20.71 per litre on Sept 1, 2003.

Similarly, the prices of kerosene oil have gone up from Rs10.50 per litre to Rs20.71 per litre.

The prices of motor spirit (MS) was increased from Rs26.04 per litre in Oct 1999, to Rs31.81 per litre in Sept 2003.

He said that 50,000 barrels Saudi Crude Oil was being received per day under special arrangement from Jan 2003 which would remain valid till Dec 31, 2003.

The annual quantity was 18.25 million barrels, which were around 30 per cent of total imported crude oil requirements.

Similarly 2.73 million tons of diesel oil was imported from Kuwait under long term contract with Pakistan State Oil (PSO) during financial year 2002-03. The minister said that Pakistan’s average import of oil was 4.1 million tons with an average price of $227.4 per Metric tons.