Petrol subsidy program to continue until the end of 2026, PM announces

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said Pakistan is continuing its diplomatic efforts to promote peace and stability in the region and reduce tensions, as the government takes measures to shield the public from rising global oil prices.

Speaking at a federal cabinet meeting on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, Shehbaz Sharif said the government’s fuel subsidy program was progressing successfully and would continue until the end of December 2026.

He said around 15 million people had used the subsidy tokens, with an estimated 75 million people benefiting from the scheme, based on an average household size of five.

The prime minister said the government had also prevented an increase of Rs.15 per litre in petrol prices from being passed on to consumers following a rise in international oil prices last Friday.

He said the petroleum minister and his team had held discussions with refineries, asking them to absorb the additional cost rather than transfer the burden to the public.

The Prime Minister of Pakistan has said the government has so far provided around Rs.28 billion in subsidies under the fuel relief program.

He described the scheme as transparent and successful but acknowledged reports of irregularities at some petrol stations.

He directed the petroleum minister to shut down stations found involved in malpractice and take strict action against those responsible.

The prime minister said rising international oil prices were largely linked to instability in the region.

He said Pakistan was playing an active role in efforts to restore peace, adding that a Pakistani delegation had visited Tehran twice during the previous week.

Field Marshal Asim Munir had also travelled to Tehran, where senior officials from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Turkiye held discussions.

Shehbaz Sharif said talks had also taken place in a positive atmosphere on a possible agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye to promote regional cooperation and harmony.

End of LNG import mafia:

The prime minister said the government had ended the influence of what he described as the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) import mafia, which he accused of making billions of rupees through imports over several decades.

He said imports and management of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) were now being handled through a more competitive and transparent system, involving state-owned entities such as Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and Pakistan Refinery Limited (PARCO).

Shehbaz Sharif said LPG imports would be conducted through competitive processes, while locally produced LPG would be auctioned. The resulting profits, he added, would be passed on to the public through subsidies.

The prime minister also said the government was holding meetings every two to three days to review challenges arising from disruptions to maritime routes and their potential impact on energy supplies.

These meetings were examining the availability and distribution of fuel, LPG and other energy resources ahead of the winter season.

Rs.160bn development package for KP

Talking about Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), where the federal government recently imposed emergency and governor’s rule, the Prime Minister said the government had announced a development package of Rs.160 billion for KP, with security given priority.

He said a large number of militants had been killed in the province and vowed that federal and provincial authorities would work together with security agencies to eliminate terrorism.

The prime minister said KP and Balochistan had faced terrorism for an extended period.

He recalled that terrorism had been largely eliminated by 2018 but had unfortunately resurfaced.

The prime minister also commended the nation on Pakistan’s successful air-to-air missile test conducted a day earlier.