While discussing the economic fallout of a possible merger between the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, natural resource economists predict that within POL products, the price of Diesel will fall sharply in not just the new province but also in the country as a whole.
“In the aftermath of this development,” said Dr Hassan Ashfaq, station chief of the Economist Intelligence Unit, “we will see that the utility of this product will see a steep drop and, as a result, we will see a decrease in diesel rates well.”
Other economists agreed. “The energy profile of the country, indeed the whole world, has changed,” said Dr Fatima Siddiqui of the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics.
“For a host of reasons, diesel is not going to be an attractive option. For one, consider how bad this product is for the environment.”
Automotive experts agreed.
“Diesel powered engines are unpredictable,” sair Dr Sumera Khattak, professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar.
“Sometimes, they will not work and will bring the whole engine to a staggering halt. Just not worth the hassle. Why don’t we just pack them away and bid them farewell for good?”
