Acting upon the special directives of Punjab’s Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, a decision has been made to promptly pass on the benefits of significant reduction in petroleum prices directly to the people of Punjab. In a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi at the Chief Ministers Office, a deadline of 48 hours was set for implementing price reductions.
Additionally, the task of reducing transport fares by 10 percent was assigned, aligning them proportionally with the lowered petroleum prices. Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi instructed the Provincial Transport Minister and Transport Secretary to urgently engage with transporters. Similarly, the Provincial Ministers for Industry and Agriculture, SM Tanvir was entrusted with liaising with ghee, flour and other relevant associations. Furthermore, agriculture secretary, commissioners, and deputy commissioners were entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing reductions in the prices of essential commodities. Chief Secretary will conduct regular meetings with Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners to assess the progress of price reduction measures. Mohsin Naqvi issued directives to Price Control Magistrates and Price Control Committees, urging them to actively contribute to providing relief to the public. He emphasized the necessity of a relentless crackdown on hoarders, ensuring that the benefits of the reduced petroleum prices are equitably distributed among the populace. It was underscored that the historic relief extended by the government through the reduction of petroleum prices must directly benefit the public, extending beyond just prices of petroleum products. The entire team should work diligently round the clock to alleviate the burden on the people. Provincial ministers SM Tanveer, Dr. Javed Akram, Mansoor Qadir, Amir Mir, Bilal Afzal, Ibrahim Hassan Murad, along with Chief Secretary, Inspector General of Police, Additional IG Special Branch, Secretaries of various departments, including Law, Industry, Food, Livestock, Agriculture and Finance attended the meeting. Commissioner Lahore Division, Chairman of Punjab Price Control, MD Utility Stores Corporation, and officers concerned were also present. Additionally, all Commissioners and RPOs participated in the meeting via video link.