Article:
In a bid to tackle the country’s energy crisis, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has summoned an emergency meeting to discuss the current regional and global situation. The meeting, scheduled for today, is expected to yield crucial decisions that aim to alleviate the burden on the public and provide relief to the masses.
Sources close to the PM’s office revealed that the meeting will focus on finalizing the National Energy Policy, with senior ministers from all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Kashmir in attendance. The PM has directed the committee to come up with viable proposals within the next 48 hours, ensuring that the burden on the public is minimized, and the people’s relief is given top priority.
The meeting will also review the country’s overall economic and administrative situation, with a focus on achieving a consensus between the provinces and the federal government on the National Energy Policy. A joint action plan will be formulated to provide relief to the people in the current situation.
Other issues on the agenda include implementing a work-from-home policy for government offices, conducting online classes for schools and colleges, and exploring options for reducing the price of petroleum products.
Meanwhile, the government has been urged to expedite relief efforts for Pakistani citizen Saeed Mobarak, whose father has appealed for assistance from the Pakistani government after his son was stranded on a ship in the Gulf.
The Ministry of Finance has assured that the country’s petroleum supply chain is functioning normally, despite the ongoing crisis. In a bid to reduce fuel consumption, the government has announced that 60 percent of government vehicles will be taken off the road.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has assured that measures are being taken to protect the country’s vital sea routes and ensure a continuous supply of energy. Punjab Chief Minister Mariam Nawaz has announced that government vehicles will be taken off the road until the end of the petroleum crisis.
The crisis has also sparked a heated debate among opposition parties, with PTI leader Salman Akram Raja accusing the government of imposing a “barbaric” situation on the country. MQM leader Dr. Farooq Sattar has criticized the government for increasing the price of petroleum products without consulting experts, calling it a “price hike bomb.”
Chairman PTI, Ali Haider has stated that the retail price of LPG has increased from Rs. 250 per kilogram to Rs. 320-350 per kilogram. Minister of State, Ishaq Dar has briefed the meeting on the global situation and the need for austerity measures to conserve petroleum products.
In a separate development, Saudi Arabia has condemned Iranian aggression against the kingdom and other Gulf Council Cooperation states. A US Tomahawk cruise missile has struck an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps naval base near a school. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the team of the tournament for the 2026 T20 World Cup, with Pakistan’s Babar Azam topping the list.
In other news, a US helicopter crashed in the UAE, killing two Emirati soldiers.
