Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi on Tuesday said that speculations regarding prices of petroleum products be avoided. Using his X account, formerly Twitter, while tagging a news item of Khaleeq Kiani he said he appreciated the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority ( OGRA) for asking everyone to avoid speculations. Thanking Khaleeq Kiani the minister said, “I was not in the business of speculations. During a presser, i was asked if the prices of POL were about to go up north. I clearly said the prices of petroleum products are mainly determined keeping in the prices in the international market and the dollar-rupee exchange rate.” The minister clarified that he did mention a published report the same day predicting a price cut, without saying if that possibility was around the corner or not. Murtaza Solangi said it remained the domain of OGRA and it was the only body to make any announcement about the petroleum products prices. The minister said he did not hint at what was reported in a national English daily.He said it would help both the newspaper and Khaleeq Kiani to listen to the question asked to him and his complete answer before making any conclusion about it. Meanwhile, Murtaza Solangi said Pakistan was fully committed to promote cooperation with Shanghai Cooperation Organization ( SCO) member states in the field of media. Addressing the participants of the SCO Television Festival in China, Murtaza Solangi said that Cooperation among its members in the fields of radio, television and other audio-visual products was a manifestation of the success of the organization. “Collaboration in mainstream media and social media is very important to promote communication at the public level”, Murtaza Solangi opined. In order to promote cultural affinity, the minister said the media organizations of SCO member countries needed to increase ties in various fields including joint publication projects and documentaries. The minister said that seven decades old Pakistan-China friendship was unique and both countries had the status of “iron brother” to each other. Pakistan and China had centuries-old cultural linkages, which have been further strengthened by the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework, said Murtaza Solangi. He said that Pakistan and China were celebrating the 10th anniversary of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor this year. The CPEC has taken the shape of historic economic cooperation between the two neighbour countries. The minister said that China and Pakistan had declared 2023 as the year of tourism exchange between the two countries and its aim was to promote exchanges at the public level as well as create a vibrant tourism and cultural ecosystem for the mutual benefit of the people of the two countries. Murtaza Solangi maintained that the SCO was a useful and promising platform for member countries of the region to promote comprehensive and sustainable cooperation in social, economic, communication, media and cultural fields. The minister invited the media organizations of the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to partner with Pakistan in various projects including joint production. “The member countries of the SCO can benefit from each others’ experiences and advanced technologies,” Murtaza Solangi remarked. He said joint production projects will help promote the culture and tourism of SCO countries.