The federal government reversed its earlier announcement of a Rs. 15.4 per liter cut in the petrol price. Instead, a notification from the finance ministry revealed a much smaller reduction of Rs. 4.74 per liter; this abrupt change has left citizens confused and disappointed.
Petrol Price Reduction Announcement
On Friday night, around 10:30 pm, the prime minister’s office released a statement asserting that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had approved a notable reduction in petrol prices. The announced figures included a Rs. 15.4 per liter cut for petrol and a Rs. 7.9 per liter decrease for high-speed diesel. The statement also highlighted that these cuts were a result of government policies aimed at reducing inflation.
Contrary to this announcement, the Ministry of Finance did not issue the customary notification by midnight, leading to widespread speculation and uncertainty.
Actual Reduction
According to the official notification eventually issued by the Ministry of Finance, the petrol price was reduced by only Rs. 4.74 per liter, bringing the new price to Rs. 268.36 per liter. Similarly, the price of high-speed diesel was cut by Rs. 3.86 per liter, making the new price Rs. 270.22 per liter. This substantial difference from the initially announced reduction has not been explained by either the Prime Minister’s Office or the finance ministry.
The discrepancy between the initial announcement and the final notification has caused frustration among the public. Many citizens, who were expecting relief in fuel costs, will now face the reality of a much smaller reduction. The government’s communication misstep has raised concerns about the accuracy and reliability of its statements, especially on critical economic issues like petrol prices.
Read more: Government Slashes Petrol Price by Rs15.39 per Litre, Eases Financial Strain on Citizens
