ISLAMABAD: The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) religious party on Thursday criticized the Pakistani government for increasing the prices of petroleum products, despite a decline in rates in the international market.
On Tuesday, US crude oil prices fell by 1 percent to below $67 per barrel, adding to Monday’s losses of more than 4 percent. This price level was the lowest since the beginning of October as market participants reassessed the risks of escalating Israeli attacks in the Middle East and potential disruptions in the oil sector.
Oil prices were likely to remain “too cheap” in the near term compared with fundamentals, Goldman Sachs analyst Daan Struyven told CNBC, citing demand from refilling the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve as well as from the airline industry.
But Pakistani authorities on Thursday respectively increased the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel by Rs1.35 and Rs3.85 per liter for the next fortnight, according to the country’s oil and gas regulator.
“The government is not ready to give relief to the people and the industry, then how will the country move forward,” JI chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman asked in his post on X late Thursday.
“Prices are decreasing in the international market and increasing in Pakistan.”
Rehman said the government increased the prices instead of announcing a major cut, demanding it to provide relief to the masses.
Pakistan revises petroleum prices every fortnight.
Petrol is mostly used in private transport, small vehicles, rickshaws and two-wheelers in Pakistan, while any increase in the price of diesel is considered highly inflationary as it is mostly used to power heavy transport vehicles and particularly adds to the prices of vegetables and other eatables.
This is not the first that the JI has called on the government to provide relief to inflation-stricken people.
In August this year, Rehman had led thousands of his JI party supporters to the garrison city of Rawalpindi, where they had staged a weeks-long anti-inflation protest. Demonstrations were also occasionally held in other Pakistani cities during the month.
Pakistan party protests increase in petroleum prices despite slump in international market
https://arab.news/jb57x
Pakistan party protests increase in petroleum prices despite slump in international market
- Global oil prices are likely to remain ‘too cheap’ in the near term, analysts say
- Jamaat-e-Islami demands the government provide relief to inflation-hit Pakistanis
Pakistan, Oman navies discuss maritime security, ink agreement to share shipping data
- Visiting Oman royal navy commander calls on Pakistan Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf in Islamabad
- White shipping agreement refers to exchange of prior information on movement of commercial ships
ISLAMABAD: The naval commanders of Pakistan and Oman discussed regional maritime security on Wednesday and signed an agreement to share shipping information with each other, the Pakistan Navy said in a statement.
The press release followed a meeting between Pakistan Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf and the visiting Oman Royal Navy Commander Rear Admiral Saif Bin Nasser Bin Mohsin Al Rahbi at Naval Headquarters in Islamabad.
Both navies maintain close professional relations, reflected in expert-level staff talks, joint training, bilateral exercises, and participation in multilateral exercises between the Pakistan Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman.
“During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, regional maritime security and bilateral naval cooperation were discussed,” the Pakistan Navy said.
The MoU was signed by both sides at a ceremony at the Naval Headquarters, the navy’s media wing confirmed.
“The MoU is aimed at establishing of guidelines and procedures for information sharing in order to enhance mutual awareness of white shipping,” the Pakistan Navy said in a statement.
White shipping agreement refers to the exchange of prior information on the movement and identity of commercial non-military merchant vessels.
Information regarding the identity of vessels helps countries tackle potential threats from sea routes. This particularly helps in the development of a proper regional maritime domain awareness
The statement said Al Rahbi lauded Pakistan Navy’s professionalism and acknowledged its ongoing contributions to maritime security and regional stability.
Pakistan and Oman share geographical proximity and common maritime boundaries. Bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries span a wide range of areas, including economic cooperation, people-to-people contacts and strong defense ties.
In December, a Royal Navy flotilla from Oman visited Karachi to take part in the annual bilateral Thamar Al Tayyib (TAT) 2025 exercise.
Pakistan Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman have been conducting the TAT series of exercises regularly since 1980.
