Daily Times

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan Friday ruled out any increase in the gas tariff.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, she said, had a clear stance that no additional burden would be shifted to the gas consumers, rather steps would be taken to facilitate them under the recently announced economic relief package.

Dr Firdous, in video message, said the prime minister while chairing a high level meeting on the energy sector, directed Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan not to put the burden of gas prices on the consumers and defer any such increase in the tariff.

She said the meeting decided to introduce institutional reforms in the gas sector and take various steps to resolve the problems of gas consumers. The Energy Committee was directed to present the reforms agenda in the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) meeting.

The prime minister issued directives for ensuring uninterrupted supply of gas to the consumers, she added.

Dr Firdous said it was decided that the gas supply to industrial and commercial sector would be provided from other sources, including LNG (liquefied natural gas) and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas).

She said the gas companies were asked to set up consumer facilitation centres as early as possible. The heads of gas companies were also directed to cut the cost and take concrete measures to eliminate gas theft and reduce line losses, she added.

Separately, Firdous Ashiq Awan said on Friday that Pakistan would take full advantage of the knowledge, experience and expertise of Chinese’ doctors in fight against Corona virus.

In a tweet, she thanked great friend China for sending medical facilities, equipment and doctors to tackle the challenge of Corona virus

She said that China overcame the outbreak with great discipline which was an example for the entire world.

She said that ‘Iron Brothers’ have a wonderful tradition of supporting each other during difficult times and people of both countries are proud of this sincere friendship.

Be it the cooperation in Pakistan’s economic development or the support of its principled stance on the issue of Kashmir, Beijing has always come up to the expectations of Pakistan and its people, Dr Firdous remarked.