daily petrol prices
| | |

Daily petrol prices trigger Senate debate over tra…

ByJustpaste.in

Islamabad: Pakistan’s new daily petroleum pricing system came under serious discussion in the Senate as lawmakers questioned whether the mechanism is providing relief to consumers or creating new challenges for the public and fuel dealers.

The Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum reviewed the daily petrol price determination system and demanded clarity over why the government replaced the previous fortnightly price revision system with daily changes.

The committee questioned the reasons behind the new policy and asked whether frequent price adjustments were helping ordinary citizens or increasing uncertainty in the fuel market.

Federal Minister for Petroleum informed the committee that the government had removed political influence from the petroleum pricing process by giving the responsibility of setting prices to the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), an independent regulator.

He said the new system was introduced to make petroleum price decisions more transparent and based on market conditions.

OGRA Chairman informed the committee that petrol prices are calculated through a seven day average of international Platts benchmark prices.

He explained that instead of directly passing sudden changes in international oil markets to consumers, the seven day average spreads the impact over time.

According to OGRA, the system helps reduce sudden price shocks, especially during international tensions and market uncertainty.

Officials said the daily pricing mechanism also aims to discourage people from creating artificial shortages or making unfair profits through speculation.

However, senators raised concerns about the effect of frequent price changes on citizens and businesses. The committee expressed concern over the high tax burden on petroleum products and questioned how increasing fuel costs affect the daily lives of ordinary people.

Representatives of the Petroleum Dealers Association informed the committee that frequent price revisions were creating operational difficulties for fuel dealers.

They said continuous price changes make business planning more difficult and require better coordination between authorities and dealers.

The committee directed OGRA to consult all stakeholders, including petroleum dealers, and prepare practical recommendations to address their concerns.

Members also stressed the need for greater use of technology in the petroleum supply chain to prevent fuel smuggling, adulteration and illegal storage.

The committee said a stronger digital monitoring system could improve transparency and ensure consumers receive better quality fuel.

Senator Umer Farooq chaired the meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum, where members reviewed the new pricing system and related petroleum sector issues.

The committee emphasized that petroleum pricing directly affects every citizen because fuel costs influence transportation, business expenses and prices of daily goods.

Members said the government and regulators must ensure that any pricing system protects consumers while maintaining stability in the petroleum market.

The committee directed OGRA to continue reviewing the mechanism and ensure that the interests of consumers remain the top priority.

Similar Posts

  • | |

    Mustafa Kamal calls for new provinces, questions p…

    ByJustpaste.in

    ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Health Mustafa Kamal has renewed his call for the creation of new provinces in Pakistan, arguing that the country’s existing administrative structure is no longer adequate to serve its rapidly growing population. Speaking at the Pakistan Pharma Healthcare Expo, Kamal said debates over provincial boundaries were often framed as matters of honour and pride, but questioned why the same concern was not shown when children lost their lives after falling into open sewerage drains. He argued that Pakistan’s four provinces cover vast territories and that smaller administrative units could improve governance and ensure that public funds reach local communities more effectively. Kamal said the federal government distributes Rs8,884 billion annually among the provinces, but questioned the lack of an effective mechanism to ensure that funds reach union councils and communities at the grassroots level. He noted that Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are larger in area than many countries, while Sindh and Balochistan also cover territories exceeding those of numerous states around the world. According to him, Pakistan’s population has grown dramatically since the country had only around 37 million people, yet the number of provinces has remained unchanged. The minister cited countries such as Sri Lanka, Iran and India as examples of states with more administrative units, arguing that the creation of additional provinces would not weaken Pakistan but could instead strengthen the federation. Kamal also linked administrative shortcomings to growing security challenges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where security personnel continue to lose their lives. He said Pakistan needed fundamental reforms to address the causes behind instability and improve governance. Turning to the issue of public infrastructure, the minister questioned the political focus on provincial identity when basic safety measures such as covering open sewer lines remain neglected. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif works long hours and has extensive experience in provincial administration, but added that the federal government alone could not solve every local governance problem. The priority, he said, should be to strengthen the system rather than rely on individual interventions for issues such as sewer covers. Kamal urged all political parties to sit together and find a constitutional solution to the country’s administrative and governance challenges, saying meaningful reforms were needed to ensure public resources translated into better services and safer communities.

  • | |

    New team formed to probe Mir Raza Ali’s death

    ByJustpaste.in

    The investigation into the death of 25-year-old businessman Mir Raza Ali has taken a new turn after police added a murder charge to the case and reconstituted the team handling the probe. Ali’s body was discovered in bushes in Karachi’s Gulistan-i-Jauhar on July 29, a day after he was reported missing. His family has maintained from the outset that he was abducted, subjected to torture and killed, while the initial police investigation had considered the possibility of suicide. The latest development came after a second post-mortem examination produced findings that differed from the initial medical report. According to an order issued by the Sindh Inspector General of Police’s office, the investigation team has been reorganised following the findings of the second autopsy. The first information report (FIR), initially registered under Section 365 of the Pakistan Penal Code for kidnapping, now also includes Sections 302 and 201. Section 302 deals with murder, while Section 201 relates to causing evidence of an offence to disappear or providing false information to protect an offender. A five-member team has now been assigned responsibility for the investigation. It is headed by Sindh Deputy Inspector General (Crime and Investigation) Amir Farooqui and includes senior police officers from different investigative units. The new team has been directed to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation and examine the case from every relevant angle. Police have also been instructed to identify, secure and analyse any new evidence, including physical, forensic, technical and circumstantial material. The team has been asked to make every effort to determine what happened to Ali and submit its findings to the relevant court within the required timeframe. Investigators will also provide daily updates on the progress of the case. The development follows demands from Ali’s family for a change in the investigation. Family lawyer Jibran Nasir had called for the original probe to be replaced after the businessman’s body was exhumed for a second post-mortem examination. According to the family’s legal representative, the fresh examination found evidence indicating that Ali had been shot in the back. He argued that the finding contradicted the earlier possibility of suicide and supported the family’s allegation that Ali had been murdered. Nasir has further alleged that Ali was tortured before his death, describing him as a young and ambitious businessman whose death had left his family seeking answers. The lawyer has also criticised the handling of the case by senior police officials, claiming that the family faced harassment and pressure instead of receiving a satisfactory investigation.

  • |

    Houthis seek to replicate Iran’s Strait of Hormuz strategy in Red Sea, warns Yemeni diplomat

    ByJustpaste.in

    Yemen’s Houthi movement is attempting to replicate Iran’s strategy in the Strait of Hormuz by disrupting maritime traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb strait, Yemeni Foreign Minister-designate Afrah al-Zouba warned on Monday. Speaking to reporters at the Yemeni Embassy in Riyadh, al-Zouba stated that an insufficient international response has emboldened the group to pursue control over critical Red Sea shipping corridors. The Red Sea has emerged as a major flashpoint following escalations linked to the broader regional conflict involving Iran. The Houthis have intensified operations against Saudi Arabia by launching drone and missile strikes and announcing a blockade on Saudi-bound shipping. In response, Saudi Arabia has conducted airstrikes targeting Houthi military positions and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting commercial maritime routes. The surge in hostilities threatens to unravel the fragile truce established in 2022, raising concerns among diplomats and officials over a potential return to full-scale war in Yemen. Al-Zouba confirmed that while military skirmishes persist along frontline positions stretching from the Red Sea to the Saudi border, neither side has launched a major ground offensive. She emphasised that the internationally recognised government is prepared for further escalation, asserting that the conflict must ultimately be resolved either diplomatically or by force.

  • |

    Shan Masood, Imam-ul-Haq steady Pakistan against West Indies

    ByJustpaste.in

    TAROUBA: Pakistan produced a strong response against the West Indies on the second day of the first Test at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy. The visitors reached 199 for three at stumps. They still trail the West Indies by 112 runs after the hosts were bowled out for 311. Shan Masood led the recovery with an unbeaten 88. He faced 137 deliveries and struck 11 boundaries. Imam-ul-Haq also played an important innings. He scored 63 from 102 balls and shared a 155-run partnership with Shan. Pakistan suffered an early setback when debutant Azan Awais was dismissed for a duck. Kemar Roach bowled him in the second over. Shan and Imam then took control of the innings. They attacked the West Indies bowlers and kept the scoreboard moving. Shan reached his half-century from only 46 balls. Imam also completed his fifty during the partnership. Imam eventually fell after making 63. Shamar Joseph took his wicket, ending the strong second-wicket stand. Captain Babar Azam then joined Shan at the crease. He scored 23 before edging Jayden Seales to wicketkeeper Shai Hope. Salman Ali Agha was unbeaten on nought when bad light stopped play. Pakistan finished the day with seven wickets still in hand. Earlier, Pakistan’s fast bowlers completed a strong effort to dismiss the West Indies for 311. Mohammad Ali was the leading wicket-taker. He finished with four wickets for 50 runs. Mohammad Abbas also impressed with three wickets. Khurram Shahzad claimed two wickets. Shai Hope was the West Indies’ top scorer. He made 92 runs, falling just eight runs short of a century. Kavem Hodge contributed 84 before being dismissed early in the morning session. Hodge had resumed the day on 83. He added only one run before edging Khurram Shahzad to second slip, where Salman Ali Agha completed the catch. Hope continued to resist after Hodge’s departure. He formed useful partnerships with Justin Greaves, Roston Chase and Shamar Joseph. Pakistan eventually broke through the lower order. Mohammad Ali dismissed Greaves and later removed Hope. Shamar Joseph made a quick 23. His innings included four boundaries and a six. Ali then bowled Jayden Seales to complete the West Indies innings at 311. Pakistan now have a strong opportunity to reduce the deficit and potentially take a first-innings lead. Shan Masood remains at the crease and will resume on 88 when play begins on the third day.

  • |

    Sri Lankan court sentences two former security chiefs to death over Easter bombings

    ByJustpaste.in

    A special court in Sri Lanka has sentenced two former senior security officials to death after finding them guilty of failing to prevent the devastating Easter Sunday bombings that killed 279 people in 2019. The ruling marks one of the country’s most significant legal decisions related to the attacks, which also claimed the lives of 45 foreign nationals and injured more than 500 others. The three judge bench ruled by majority that former police chief Pujith Jayasundara and former defence ministry secretary Hemasiri Fernando neglected their responsibilities despite receiving advance warnings about the possibility of extremist attacks. The court concluded that their failure to act contributed directly to one of the deadliest terrorist incidents in Sri Lanka’s history. Jayasundara, 66, and Fernando, 76, were taken into judicial custody following the verdict. Although both have been sentenced to death, they have the right to challenge the ruling before Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court. They will remain in custody until they are granted bail during the appeals process. Despite the sentence, executions are unlikely to take place. Sri Lanka has not carried out a death sentence since 1976 and has maintained an unofficial moratorium on capital punishment for decades. Government figures presented to parliament earlier this year showed that around 800 prisoners are currently on death row, with most death sentences later reduced to life imprisonment. Friday’s ruling overturned an earlier decision that had cleared both men of criminal responsibility. In 2022, a lower court acquitted the former officials, but prosecutors appealed the verdict, leading to a fresh review of the case before the special fast track court. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence showing that Indian intelligence agencies had warned Sri Lankan authorities on April 4, 2019 about the possibility of suicide attacks by extremist groups. The warning came more than two weeks before the coordinated bombings on April 21, yet the court found that adequate preventive measures were never taken. The Easter Sunday attacks targeted three churches during religious services and three luxury hotels across the country. The coordinated explosions shocked Sri Lanka and drew international condemnation, becoming one of the country’s worst terrorist attacks since the end of its civil war. Both Jayasundara and Fernando were arrested later in 2019 and spent four months in custody before being released on bail. In a separate civil case, they were ordered to pay 125 million Sri Lankan rupees in compensation to victims and survivors for failing to fulfil their duties. Prosecutors argued that the negligence of the two senior officials amounted to an extremely serious offence because they ignored credible intelligence that could have prevented the attacks. They initially sought murder convictions, claiming their failure to respond to the warnings resulted in hundreds of avoidable deaths. The court ultimately convicted both men of negligence leading to the deaths of 279 people. During earlier parliamentary investigations, Jayasundara and Fernando testified that then President Maithripala Sirisena had not followed established national security procedures before the attacks. They claimed weaknesses in communication and decision making at the highest levels of government contributed to the failure to respond effectively to the intelligence warnings. The verdict is expected to renew debate over accountability for the Easter Sunday bombings and the responsibilities of senior officials in protecting national security. Families of the victims have repeatedly demanded justice and greater transparency over the events leading up to the attacks, while the case remains one of the most closely watched legal proceedings in Sri Lanka’s recent history.

  • | | |

    Royal Thai Police Launch Nationwide Illegal Firearms Crackdown

    ByJustpaste.in

    Thailand – Royal Thai Police Commissioner-General Pol. Gen. Kitrat Phanphet has ordered police nationwide to step up enforcement against illegal firearms, ammunition, and explosives while increasing security at public places following recent violent incidents involving deadly weapons. Pol. Gen. Thana Chuwong, deputy commissioner-general responsible for investigation and inquiry affairs, will oversee operations targeting illegal weapons […]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *