• Shehbaz says govt provided relief to tune of Rs129bn by rejecting POL hikes
• PPP leader proposes cuts in perks of state officials, institutional expenditure to counter inflation

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed the authorities concerned to take stern action against hoarders and smugglers of petroleum products to ensure a smooth supply of fuel amid the global crisis.

Presiding over a meeting to review austerity measures, the prime minister was briefed on the petroleum products supply chain. He directed the relevant authorities to finalise proposals to provide more relief to low-income segments of society.

A statement issued by the PM’s Office quoted the PM as saying: “Take tough action against petroleum smuggling and illegal hoarding to maintain market stability and protect consumers.”

The meeting reviewed the situation that emerged after the US-Israel war on Iran, which caused a global energy crisis and affected even stable economies. The PM instructed relevant ministries to submit final recommendations after consultation with the provinces to strengthen supply management and ensure continued public relief amid global uncertainties.

He said the government had already taken significant steps over the past three weeks to support vulnerable groups and would continue its efforts to shield the poor from economic pressures.

The prime minister said that through reductions in the development budget and implementation of austerity and savings measures, the federal government had provided relief amounting to Rs129 billion to the public by preventing an increase in petroleum prices. He added that timely government decisions ensured an adequate availability of petroleum products to meet domestic requirements.

“Our foremost priority is to pro-vide relief to the people,” the prime minister reiterated.

During the briefing, participants were informed that implementation of austerity measures was progressing steadily and that demand and supply of petroleum products across the country were being monitored regularly through a digital dashboard to ensure uninterrupted availability and transparency in the supply chain.

‘Difficult decisions’

Meanwhile, the PPP, a major ally of the ruling PML-N in the Centre, proposed concrete steps, including ‘difficult decisions’ towards self-reliance and self-sufficiency for a strong and stable Pakistan.

PPP leader Nayyer Bukhari, in a statement, said that the governments could not run on loans and aid, and practical steps must be taken to gradually free the country from international institutions. He stressed the need for a national consensus for self-sufficiency.

The PPP leader proposed a 50 per cent reduction in salaries and perks of constitutional, government, and state officials. He urged federal and provincial ministers and parliamentarians to voluntarily reduce their salaries and perks by 40 per cent.

It may be noted that the National Assembly members’ pay was increased by almost 300 per cent in Feb 2025.

Mr Bukhari also suggested significant cuts in government, state, and institutional expenditures to reduce the burden on the national treasury.

He proposed shutting down central air conditioning and heating systems in government and private institutions to conserve energy.

The PPP leader advocated for bringing the housing, foreign currency, stock exchange, transport, industrial, and commercial sectors into the tax net. He suggested imposing government fees on private housing societies’ residential and commercial property transactions.

Mr Bukhari proposed eliminating all privileges of the elite to alleviate people’s hardships, citing that inflation had made even basic necessities unaffordable.

He called for prioritising agriculture, the backbone of the economy, and providing maximum subsidies to farmers for fuel, machinery, fertilisers, and seeds.

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2026