ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed the Ministry of Oil and Gas to ensure provision of uninterrupted gas supply to domestic consumers.

He issued the directives while presiding over the Federal Cabinet meeting in Islamabad.

Later, briefing the news men, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said the Cabinet also issued directives to take concrete steps for ensuring food security in the country and bringing to book the hoarders and profiteering cartels.

Also Read: OGRA seeks up to 200 pct increase in gas prices for domestic consumers

She said the Cabinet requested the superior judiciary to decide cases regarding food security on priority basis as they are related to public interest.

“The Federal Cabinet constituted a committee, headed by Dr Ishrat Hussain, to amend food security laws in the country, which will present its report in one month time,” she said.

Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said the Cabinet was further informed that a subsidy of 242 billion rupees was given to protect consumers using up to 300 electricity units from fuel adjustment affects.

She said the industrial sector was also given 29 billion rupees subsidy whereas 100 billion rupees subsidy was given to agriculture sector.

Similarly, 10 billion rupees subsidy was given to fertilizer industry to ensure stability in the prices of fertilizers.

The Cabinet also asked the Water and Power Division to take steps for redressing consumers’ reservations about tampering of meters by DISCOs employees which results in additional burden on consumers.

She said the Federal Cabinet strongly condemned Indian Lok Sabha for passing the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019 to offer citizenship to the people belonging to different religions living in different countries.

On June 24, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) had sought an increase of up to 200 per cent in the prices of gas for domestic consumers from July 1.

The Petroleum Division had forwarded the summary in this regard to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC).

According to the summary, price for the domestic consumers using less than 50 cubic metres a month had been proposed to be increased from Rs121 to Rs184 per million British thermal unit (MMBTU), hence increasing the monthly bill from Rs285 to Rs422.