Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Malik said the government would take additional steps to cut its expenses as much as possible.
He said restaurants and wedding halls were closing according to the prescribed timings, while the government was still finalising the outlines of its energy policy. He said details of the policy would be shared with the public once it was finalised.
Regarding fuel relief, Malik said the relief being provided to low-income people was higher than the amount collected through taxes. He said the government had deliberately decided to provide relief exceeding the tax amount.
The federal minister acknowledged that the relief being provided at the current petrol price was still insufficient and that the burden on the public remained high. However, he said the government had provided as much relief as the national economy could afford.
Malik said the government was working on further measures to reduce energy costs and limit the increasing financial burden on the public.
