CMYK
Saturday, 27 June, 2020 I 5 Dhū al-Qa‘dah, 1441 I Rs 15.00 I Vol X No 358 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition
Govt abruptly raises petrol price by a whoppinG rs26 g
GOvT wIll CONTINUE CHArGING rS30 PEr lITrE PETrOlEUM lEvy ON PETrOl AND DIESEl, rS6 PEr lITEr ON KErOSENE OIl AND rS3 PEr lITrE lDO
ISLAMABAD staff report
t
HE federal government on Friday increased the price of petrol by rs25.58 per litre for the month of July in line with the hike in global crude oil prices. According to details, the real impact of increase in petrol was rs31 per litre based on the data and working made by Pakistan State Oil (PSO). However, the government decided to increase the price of petrol by rs25.38 per litre that would be effective immediately i.e June 26. According to a notification issued by the Finance Division, the price of petrol has been increased from existing
rs74.52 to rs100.10 per litre. The price of diesel has gone up to rs101.46 from rs80.15 with an increase of rs21.31 per litre. Diesel is used in agriculture and transport sectors and therefore increase in its price would affect these sectors and inflation would go up. The price of kerosene oil has been hiked by rs23.50 per litre from current rs35.56 to rs59.06 per litre. This price is used in remote areas where lPG is not available for cooking purpose. The price of light diesel oil has risen by rs17.84 from rs38.14 to rs55.98 per litre. This fuel is used for industry. After the increase, the government will continue charging rs30 per litre petroleum levy on petrol and diesel, rs6 per
coronavirus in
pakistan
CONFIRMED CASES:
197,705
DAY'S DEATH TOLL:
NEW CASES:
59
2,775
RECOVERED:
DEATHS:
84,168 4,004 SINDH:
76,318
PUNJAB:
71,987
KP:
BALOCHISTAN:
AJK/GB:
ISLAMABAD:
24,943
10,116
962/1,398 11,981
liter on kerosene oil and rs3 per litre lDO. The government had last month reduced prices of all petroleum products except high speed diesel to partially pass on the impact of massive international price reduction to the masses. The government has already increased the general sales tax (GST) on all petroleum products to a standard rate of 17pc across the board to generate additional revenues. Until January last year, the government was charging 0.5pc GST on light diesel oil (lDO), 2pc on kerosene, 8pc on petrol and 13pc on HSD. Besides the 17pc GST, the government has almost quadrupled the rate of petroleum levy on HSD and petrol to rs30 per liter from rs8 per liter in January last year. Over the last many months, the government had been increasing petroleum levy rates to partially recoup a major revenue shortfall faced by the FBr. The levy remains in the federal kitty unlike GST that goes to the divisible pool taxes and thus about 57pc share is grabbed by the provinces. Average petrol sales are touching 700,000 tonnes per month against the monthly consumption of around 600,000 tonnes of diesel. However, the sales of petrol had dropped in recent weeks due to the coronavirus lockdown. The diesel consumption had also dropped after the lockdown but has since picked up owing to wheat harvest. The sales of kerosene oil and lDO are generally less than 11,000 and 2000 tonnes per month.
IHC allows FIA to continue oil companies’ investigation STORY ON PAGE 02
Govt says has grounded 262 pilots over dubious licences g
MINISTEr SAyS PIlOTS INClUDE 141 FrOM PIA, NINE FrOM AIr BlUE AND 10 FrOM SErENE AIr ISLAMABAD staff report
Some 262 airline pilots, whose credentials may have been falsified, will be immediately grounded pending investigations, Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan announced on Friday. According to Sarwar, the pilots include 141 from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), nine from Air Blue and 10 from Serene Air. He added that the remaining were affiliated with flying clubs, chartered plane services or foreign airlines. He said all the airlines and the clubs had been conveyed that: “Their credentials are dubious, and they shouldn’t be allowed to fly.” He added that the names of all the pilots had also been put up on the Civil Aviation Authority’s website. “These pilots against whom inquiries are being conducted were recruited before 2018,” the minister said, referring to the start of the incumbent government’s tenure. “let me also make clear that after 2018,
Govt sees reduction in Covid-19 cases by end June g
ASAD UMAr SAyS NCOC BElIEvES NUMBEr OF NATIONwIDE CASES By MONTH END wIll BE 225,000 Or lESS ISLAMABAD staff report
Federal Planning Minister Asad Umar on Friday said that the National Command and Control Centre (NCOC), after reviewing recent Covid-19 figures, believes that the number of nationwide cases by the end of June will be 225,000 or less. Earlier, the government had predicted that there would be around 300,000 cases by the end of this month. A total of 2,775 new coronavirus cases surfaced in the country over the last 24 hours, taking the total tally to 195,745, according to government data. The death toll from the virus stands at 3,962 with 59 deaths reported during the last 24 hours. The total reported 195,745 cases include 71,987 in Punjab, 75,168 in Sindh, 24,303 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 9,946 in Balochistan, 11,981 in Islamabad, 1,398 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 962 in Azad Kashmir. A total of 21,041 corona tests were carried out during the aforementioned period. So far
we did not make any new inductions in PIA or the aviation division or conduct any exams, so whatever this is, it is from the last two terms,” he added. “This government has now set out to rectify the past mistakes,” said the minister, adding that not only will the pilots be grounded, he had also decided to suspend five Civil Aviation Authority officials, who had been found to be involved in the scandal. “I have their suspension letters ready and we are also consulting the legal team to initiate criminal proceedings against them,” said the minister. He added that there were three or four other private persons, who were not affiliated with the CAA but had been found to be involved in the scandal and criminal investigations would be initiated against them too. The issue of dubious licenses drew global attention after the aviation minister Khan declared in the National Assembly that around 150 pilots from PIA had fake licences.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 03
more inside
SC orders Centre, provinces to take stern action against hoarders of Covid-19 drugs STORY ON PAGE 03
Opposition slams government’s policies during budget debate STORY ON BACK PAGE 84,168 patients have so far recovered from the disease and the total active Covid-19 cases in Pakistan are 107,615. ‘SPREAD CAN BE CURBED’: Umar, while addressing the media alongside Information Minister Shibli Faraz, said that the reduction in the projected figures “proves that if we all do the right thing and everyone performs their duty on an individual level while the government does its job on a communal level, a significant success in curbing the spread can be seen”. Detailing the reasons behind the reduction in figures, Umar said:
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“Most people realised their responsibility. Not everyone realised [their responsibility] and as a result, the government had to take some administrative measures. “As a result, we are now looking at 225,000 cases instead of 300,000 — which we initially feared.” He also explained some measures taken by the NCOC to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. On May 30, the body issued a guideline, deeming it compulsory to wear a mask at crowded places.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 03
‘Dubious pilot licences’ do not pertain to PIA alone: airline STORY ON PAGE 02
Taliban prisoner issue almost resolved, peace talks expected ‘soon’ STORY ON BACK PAGE