Government spent Rs 20 billion on subsidising oil price: Dr Firdaus

The government has spent a healthy amount of Rs 20 billion on subsidising oil price in the country during the last six month. Addressing a press conference here Sunday Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Firdaus Ashiq Awan said that people have to share the burden of oil price increase, otherwise the rising subsidy amount will raise fiscal deficit and force the government to borrow more from banking system.
She said the government cannot bear this subsidy any longer due to limited fiscal space. While on the other hand international prices are on surge and government is compelled to pass toward general masses as 87 percent of crude oil is being imported.
On target killing in Karachi, she said that the federal government is taking on board all the stakeholders including political parties, civil society, media and law enforcement agencies for improving law and order situation in Karachi. "Provinces will get their due share according to the agreed and defined formula under NFC award", she said while replying to a question. Minister said that this exercise will be started at a time in all the provinces and in this regard government will remove all the concerns of all stakeholders, she noted.