DLP Report
PESHAWAR
Awami National Party (ANP) Central President Senator Aimal Wali Khan has urged the federal government to pass on the benefits of declining global crude oil prices to consumers by reducing petroleum prices and easing the tax burden, while calling for immediate measures to resolve the persistent gas crisis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to a statement issued from party headquarters Bacha Khan Markaz in Peshawar, the demands were made during a meeting with Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Ali Pervaiz Malik in Islamabad, where the two leaders discussed petroleum pricing, gas shortages in KP and other energy-related issues. Senator Aimal Wali said the decline in international crude oil prices should translate into direct relief for the public, arguing that consumers continued to bear the burden of high fuel costs despite favourable global market trends.
He called for an immediate reduction in the petroleum levy and other indirect taxes, saying the existing tax structure was adding to inflationary pressures at a time when people were already struggling with rising living costs and unemployment. Even a marginal increase in fuel prices, he said, disproportionately affected low- and middle-income households.
The ANP leader also voiced concern over the prolonged gas shortages and low pressure in various parts of KP, saying domestic consumers continued to face load-shedding despite the summer season.
He noted that while KP contributes significantly to the country’s natural gas production, many areas of the province, including gas-producing districts, remain deprived of a reliable supply.
Referring to constitutional provisions, Senator Aimal Wali said local communities and the province had the first right over their natural resources, adding that the prevailing situation had deepened the sense of deprivation among the people of the province.
He urged the federal government to introduce an effective pricing mechanism for petroleum products to prevent additional financial burden on consumers and called for emergency measures to eliminate gas load-shedding and low pressure across the province.
The ANP chief also stressed the need to reorient the country’s energy policy towards public welfare and equitable distribution of resources rather than focusing solely on revenue generation.
Federal Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik assured Senator Aimal Wali Khan that the government would extend full cooperation and take appropriate measures to address the issues raised during the meeting.
