PML-N leader and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi who was tipped to get energy and petroleum ministry, has said that he will not accept any ministry, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

While talking to 24NewsHD TV on Sunday, Abbasi said that he would continue to provide his services, but he would not accept energy ministry. He said if prices of petroleum products were not raised, then the exchequer would be left with nothing to pay for defence, debt repayments and development projects. 

On PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, he said that Nawaz did not possess any official or political office. 

“He (Nawaz) went abroad with the permission of court for medical treatment. It is purely up to him to leave his treatment and come back,” he added.  

On snap polls, Abbasi said if the election commission had told the previous PTI government that it could not conduct election even in 7 months, how the caretaker government could hold it now. 

The petroleum ministry will be one of the most challenging ministries in the context of globally rising POL prices triggered in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

On Friday, in his presser along with former finance minister Miftah Ismail, Abbasi flayed previous PTI government for selling cheap petrol saying no country in the world was selling petrol cheaper than its original cost. He said that the newly-installed government was facing challenges due to mismanagement of previous PTI government which was selling petrol at Rs149 thus draining national exchequer. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOSuOiSko9I

Former prime minister Imran Khan in the last week of February announced to freeze petrol prices till June and due to PTI government's policy of keeping the petroleum products' rates fixed, the remaining Rs35 billion were paid through the national exchequer.

"If the rates are kept the same till June, then the government will have to pay Rs240 billion through its own resources PTI fixed the rate to gain cheap publicity," he said.

Earlier this week, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority sent the working out for the increase in the prices of petroleum products to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif suggesting a record increase of Rs51.32 per litre in the price of high-speed diesel, Rs 21.30 per litre in petrol price, Rs36.5 per litre in the price of kerosene and Rs38.89 per litre in the price of light diesel. But Shehbaz rejected Ogra’s proposal and kept the same price.

Reporter Awais Kiyani