Petroleum products' prices hiked to prevent fiscal deficit: Qureshi

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Sunday that the federal government has increased prices of petroleum products to prevent fiscal deficit, ARY News reported.

“Cabinet had forwarded matters related to petrol to Economic Coordination Committee (ECC),” the foreign minister told reporters in Multan today.

Lashing out at opposition leaders, Qureshi said that the present government was being blamed by the persons who had also reached out to International Monetary Fund (IMF). He reminded, “Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) led government had reached out to IMF [for a bailout package] in 2018.”

Pointing towards corruption of previous governments, Qureshi said, “Going to IMF is the result of wrongdoing made in previous 10 years.”

He said that the government is in talks with the IMF officials, however, its details will be shared after reaching to a conclusive end.

When questioned about recent restructuring of rival Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), the foreign minister said, “Every political party has right for its restructuring. PML-N has made changes in its leadership as well. However, I am surprised over appointing Maryam Nawaz as PML-N’s vice president which goes in violation of the Supreme Court’s verdict.”

Read: Bailout package: Provincial finance ministers meet IMF team

Qureshi, while answering to question, said that PML-N leadership can give authentic information regarding the return of [its party president] Shehbaz Sharif. He said that PPP was not satisfied with the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

Qureshi rejected reports of running a silent faction into ruling political party. He clarified, “My group is only Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), not a separate one [neither inside nor outside the party].”

He said that [former finance minister] Asad Umar was an asset of PTI and he will be. The leader was proposed petroleum ministry over his abilities, Qureshi added.