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Petrol price may reduce by Rs10-15 per litre on rupee strength

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  • The price of diesel may be slashed by Rs2 per litre.
  • OGRA to meet for price revision for next fortnight.
  • IMF reservations could cause hurdles in price cut.

KARACHI: The improvement in the exchange rate, mostly in the favour of local currency, is likely to bring the prices of petroleum products down in the next fortnightly review by the oil sector regulator.

The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) will meet soon to revise the petroleum prices for the next fortnight starting October 16, 2022.

If the government decides to pass on this rupee-dollar parity impact to the end consumers, the price of petrol may be slashed by an estimated Rs10-15 per litre and that of diesel by Rs2 per litre, according to industry sources.

The rupee fell for the second straight session on Thursday as dollar demand from importers outpaced greenback sales by exporters, who chose to sit on the sidelines in anticipation of range-bound trading in the local currency going forward, dealers said.

However, the sources added that this facilitation could be delayed owing to International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) reservations over the petroleum subsidy as Pakistan had agreed with the lender of the last resort to gradually add Petroleum Development Levy (PDL) to the prices of fuels.

The addition of PDL will offset the exchange rate impact.

According to the working of the oil industry, all petroleum prices are showing a declining trend worldwide; however, it is not clear if the government would pass on the impact or offset it by raising taxation.

Oil prices traded about 2% higher on Thursday, reversing course, as low levels of diesel inventory ahead of winter helped investors shrug off higher-than-expected stocks of crude and gasoline.

Analysts say Finance Minister Ishaq Dar seems to be following a populist policy and may avoid burdening the masses further at least for now, doing good on the word that he gave before assuming the office of finance minister.

There’s a chance that the finance minister might pass the impact of a global downtrend and a stronger rupee if world markets continued to retreat.

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Irfan Siddiqui meets with the PM and informs him about the Senate performance of the parliamentary party.

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The head of the Senate’s Foreign Affairs Standing Committee and the PML-N’s parliamentary leader paid Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif a visit in Islamabad.

Senator Irfan Siddiqui gave the Prime Minister an update on the Parliamentary Party’s Senate performance.

Additionally, Senator Irfan Siddiqui gave the Prime Minister an update on the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs’ performance.

He complimented the Prime Minister on his outstanding efforts to bring Pakistan’s economy back on track and meet its economic objectives.

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SIFC Increases Direct Foreign Investment: Investment in the Energy Sector Rises by 120%

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The Special Investment Facilitation Council is intended to help Pakistan’s energy sector attract $585.6 million in direct foreign investment in 2024–2025. The amount invested at the same time previous year was $266.3 million.

This is a notable 120% rise, mostly due to investments in gas exploration, oil, and power. Such expansion indicates heightened investor confidence and emphasizes the development potential in important areas.

The State Bank reports that foreign investment in other vital industries has increased by 48% to $771 million.

This advancement is a blatant testament to SIFC’s efficient investment procedure and quick project execution.

The purpose of the Special Investment Facilitation Council is to establish Pakistan as an investment hub by aggressively promoting regional trade and investment in the energy sector and other critical industries.

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Discos report losses of Rs239 billion.

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When compared to the same period last year, the data indicates that discos have decreased their losses in the first quarter of the current fiscal year.

The distribution businesses recorded losses of Rs239 billion in the first three months of the current fiscal year, a substantial decrease from the Rs308 billion losses sustained during the same period the previous year.

Additionally, the distribution businesses’ rate of recovery has improved. It has increased to 91% in the first quarter of this year from 84% in the same period last year, indicating success in revenue collection.

Regarding circular debt, the Power division observed a notable change. Last year, between July and October, the circular debt grew by Rs301 billion. Nonetheless, this year’s first four months saw a relatively modest increase in circular debt, totaling about Rs11 billion.

These enhancements show promising developments in the electricity sector’s financial health in Pakistan, where initiatives are being made to accelerate recovery rates and slow the expansion of circular debt.

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