Senate Body Agrees to Dissolve Ministry of Industries, Petroleum Division

The Senate Functional Committee on Devolution on Monday decided to dissolve the Ministry of Industries and Production and the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division). The committee agreed to this after reviewing the financial performance of these ministries in the previous two fiscal years. The committee also raised concerns about the operations and investments in Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM). Additionally, the issue of PSM’s gas bill, which stands at Rs. 440 million, was discussed, and officials clarified that gas supply to the loss-making entity had been discontinued. The committee reviewed the performance of the Petroleum Division and further expressed concerns over the creation of 70 new companies without the necessary regulatory approvals. The committee requested details of the boards of these companies and requested the prime minister’s intervention if issues persist. At the end of the meeting, the committee agreed to devolve the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division).