Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that a development and security package worth one hundred and sixty billion rupees has been finalized for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Chairing a meeting of the federal cabinet in Islamabad today (Wednesday), he said peace and security in the province remain the foremost priority.

The Prime Minister reiterated his unwavering commitment to eliminating the menace of terrorism from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through mutual cooperation among the armed forces, the new provincial setup and the federal government.

Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan is continuing its efforts to promote peace in the region. He highlighted that a Pakistani delegation visited Tehran twice over the past two to three weeks. He said the discussions focused not only on reducing regional tensions but also on promoting regional cooperation.

Referring to the impact of regional tensions on fuel prices, the Prime Minister said the burden of fifteen rupees per litre on petrol has not been passed on to consumers due to engagement with refineries, which were asked to share their windfall profits. In this regard, he appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Petroleum.

He said the fuel subsidy scheme is as also being implemented in a transparent and successful manner. He said fifteen million people have benefited from the scheme, with twenty-eight billion rupees spent on it. He said the scheme would continue at least until the end of next month.

The Prime Minister said the era of the LPG mafia has come to an end with the introduction of a mechanism to ensure greater transparency in supply and distribution.

He assured that despite challenges to shipping routes, all-out efforts would be made to ensure supply of LNG, LPG and other energy sources during the winter season. He said that efforts would also be made to contain the impact of higher energy prices.