ISLAMABAD, Sept 15: The government informed the Senate on Thursday that it had to increase the price of petrol on 20 occasions from June 2003 to June 2005. In a written response to a question by Senator Dr Kauser Firdous, petroleum minister Amanullah Khan Jadoon informed the upper house that price of petrol was increased to Rs45.53 in June 2005, while it stood at Rs30.12 in June 2003.

Currently, the price of petrol is Rs52.61 per litre and going further up.

The minister told the Senate that the government had to increase the price due to increase in prices of crude oil in the international market. He said as and when the international oil prices stabilized, the benefit of decrease would be passed on to the customers.

An opposition member of the Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources and member of sub-committee on oil pricing, Senator Rukhsana Zuberi has challenged the government’s claim of increase in petrol prices due to international factors and said the reality was otherwise.

In a statement sent to Dawn, Senator Rukhsana Zuberi said increase in oil prices was not linked to international prices. She said it was a matter of grave concern that the recommendations of the Senate Sub-Committee on Oil Price Mechanism were not being implemented despite a lapse of more than four months. This report was signed by all the members except one who was on an official trip abroad, she said.

Senator Zuberi said the petroleum minister was fully aware of the success of the sub-committee in unfolding artificial price jack ups by the OCAC (Oil Companies Advisory Committee).