Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik says the government has shifted from blanket fuel subsidies to technology-backed targeted relief amid the Strait of Hormuz crisis.

Islamabad, November 1, 2026 L More than 12-13 million deserving people in Pakistan are receiving subsidised petrol at pre-war prices, Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik said on Sunday.

Speaking at a university convocation, the minister said the government had introduced targeted fuel subsidies to protect vulnerable segments of society from rising international oil prices.

He said the disruption around the Strait of Hormuz had affected countries worldwide, forcing families to make difficult financial decisions as governments struggled to arrange foreign exchange for increasingly expensive oil, gas, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and other fuels.

Describing the situation as an unprecedented crisis, Malik said Pakistan had shifted from unsustainable blanket subsidies to technology-based targeted assistance.

He said the government had avoided spending public resources on subsidising fuel for wealthy consumers, including families owning expensive vehicles such as Land Cruisers, and instead directed relief towards those who needed it most.

The minister added that Pakistan had managed the crisis without suffering damage on the same scale as several other countries in the region.

He also highlighted transparency in the fuel pricing mechanism, saying relevant information had been made available to the public.

Malik assured consumers that they would not need to approach him or the prime minister for relief when international oil prices declined.

He said the benefits of lower global fuel prices would automatically be passed on to households.