The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday advocated doing away with the recently implemented fixed gas metre fee of Rs. 500 per month that is charged to customers of natural gas.

Noor Alam Khan, the chair of the Public Accounts Committee, opened the hearing by stating that clients with monthly bills under Rs. 1,500 are also subject to the fixed fees of Rs. 500. He referred to the fees as “illegal” and claimed that the impoverished simply could not afford to pay them each month.

The committee was informed by the secretary of petroleum that the petrol rate will increase commencing January 1, 2023, retroactively. He further emphasised that the hike did not affect homes with consumption of less than 1 cubic hectometer (the Ogra level is 0.9 cubic hectometers).

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Additionally, the committee gave the go-ahead to resume issuing new gas connections to users. Khan stated that he will also write the prime minister a letter in this regard.

The PAC Chairman stated that although he is unconcerned about the sector, he believes that the general public should have priority access to petrol.