ISLAMABAD, Nov 7: Two senators of the People’s Party Parliamentarians have urged the government to reduce oil prices in the country in the wake of the reduction in the international market to provide relief to the people.

Speaking at a news conference here on Monday, Senators Enver Baig and Rukhsana Zuberi criticised the government for not reducing the prices despite the fact that the present international prices were 23 per cent less than those of October 2005.

Senator Zuberi rejected the claim of the ministry of petroleum and natural resources that the ECC formula was being followed strictly in determining the oil prices. “This has already been contested by the facts brought forward in the Senate petroleum committee report,” she said.

She criticised Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz for what she termed his failure to take action on a report submitted by National Accountability Bureau and the recommendations of the anti-corruption wing of the while probing the issue of oil prices. The report was submitted to the prime minister by NAB some three months back, she said.

The PPP senator accused the government of presenting wrong figures.

She challenged the government’s claim that the prices in Pakistan were lower than those in India.