Petroleum products: Bill seeking to amend law governing 2 levies tabled in NA

A bill to revise the legal framework for Pakistan’s petroleum levy and climate support levy was presented in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Business Recorder reported. It was moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhary for Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, then sent to the relevant standing committee for review. The proposal concerns how the levies are paid, collected, recovered and reported, and seeks consistency with the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority’s licensing system.

The proposal followed discussions with the Pakistan People’s Party, which had expressed reservations, with government representatives saying they would address the concerns. The report notes that introducing the bill does not mean either levy’s rate will be cut; separate talks are under way on possible fuel relief and proposals to phase out petroleum levies in the next federal budget. High fuel costs and demands for consumer relief have made the levy a point of political debate.