Indecisive govt keeps putting off fuel price review

The coalition government led by the PML-N remained indecisive even on Saturday over the fortnightly fuel price change, which should have been announced on Thursday midnight but sources said it is now likely to be made on Sunday (today). Based on the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority’s (Ogra) calculations, the per-litre price of diesel was to be increased by around Rs2 and that of petrol to be reduced by Rs7. The delay of almost two days has triggered rumours that the government was facilitating petroleum dealers to sell their existing inventories bought at higher rates during the last fortnight. However, petroleum dealers have dismissed the impression. “Petrol stations do not maintain huge inventories and fluctuation in rates was part of the business cycle,” Abdul Sami Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association, told Dawn.