Zardari urges prioritising public relief

President directs govt to take measures for shielding public from fuel price rise

LARKANA:

President Asif Ali Zardari has directed the federal government to prioritise public relief, minimise the burden of rising petroleum prices and ease economic pressure on citizens.

According to the press release issued on Monday, the president gave these instructions in a meeting attended by Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi, Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb and Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, his sister Faryal Talpur and Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah were also present in the meeting.

The meeting reviewed the overall law and order situation, the country's economic outlook, and developments in the energy sector, including petroleum product pricing.

The interior minister briefed the participants on ongoing counterterrorism operations and border security. The meeting also discussed tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as a detailed overview of broader regional security challenges.

The finance and petroleum ministers apprised the president of key economic indicators, the state of the energy sector and steps the government is taking regarding petroleum product prices.

Zardari emphasised that economic policies must focus on providing relief to the public, directing authorities to ensure that rising fuel costs do not disproportionately impact the common man.