ISLAMABAD
Business leader and former president of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Shahid Rasheed Butt, said on Tuesday that pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to immediately withdraw fuel price support could deepen poverty and fuel public unrest in Pakistan.
He said millions of farmers, transporters, and low-income households depend on affordable diesel to sustain their livelihoods, and removing the subsidy at a time of severe energy shocks would place an unbearable burden on struggling segments of society. The IMF has expressed concern over fuel price distortions, particularly the absence of the petroleum development levy (PDL) on high-speed diesel.
