The Minister of State for Finance and Railways, Bilal Azhar Kayani, says the government is taking measures to protect the economy and provide relief to people amid pressure from global developments.
Speaking to reporters during visits to petrol stations in Jhelum, Dina and Sohawa, Kayani also criticized the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), accusing it of creating political unrest and confrontation with the government.
He said political parties should pursue their grievances through parliament and the courts rather than through confrontation with state institutions.
The minister was speaking as the PTI prepares for a planned protest. He also criticized the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government’s approval of the Police Act 2026, claiming the changes could politicize the provincial police force.
He alleged that the move was an attempt to turn the police into a “PTI Tiger Force” and said it could create additional difficulties for officers fighting militancy in the province.
Bilal Azhar Kayani also accused the KP government of confronting those involved in countering terrorism. He said, in his view, the approval of the police legislation reflected a lack of political and public support for the PTI.
Earlier, Kayani reviewed arrangements for implementation of the fuel relief scheme and the provision of subsidized petrol to the public on the second consecutive day of his visits to petrol pumps and registration camps in Jhelum, Sohawa and Dina.
He visited petrol stations and registration camps, where people were being assisted with applications for subsidized petrol.
Kayani helped citizens register through the government helpline 9771 and obtain tokens for the subsidized fuel. He also assisted several motorcycle owners at petrol stations after their tokens were issued.
He said he had been visiting petrol stations since 19 September and had reviewed the implementation of the programme in urban and rural areas of Jhelum, Sohawa and Dina on 23 and 24 September.
Local PML-N leaders and workers accompanied him during the visits, along with Jhelum Deputy Commissioner Mir Reza Ozgen and other district administration and police officials.
