PM directs Power Ministry against no more burden on gas consumers.

ISLAMABAD -- Prime Minister Imran Khan Friday chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Energy wherein he directed the Ministry of Power to put off the burden of gas price increase on the consumers to provide them relief in the distressing time of the coronavirus outbreak.

Briefing the media about the decisions taken by the meeting, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said the prime minister categorically directed Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan to defer the impact of the government's agreement with the International Monetary Fund regarding the increase in gas prices.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan, Planning Minister Asad Umar, Finance Advisor Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, special assistants to prime minister Nadeem Babar and Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, secretary petroleum and managing directors of the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines and Sui Southern Gas Company.

The prime minister directed the management of both the gas supply companies to take cost cutting steps by introducing the austerity measures, reducing the line losses and theft cases to avert the burden from the consumers.

The SAPM said the prime minister also directed the heads of...