Concerns Over the Public Interest Risks of the Government’s Policies on Energy and Medicine Sectors

Citizen Initiative is deeply concerned about the potential public-interest risks arising from recent policy changes concerning the expansion of private-sector involvement in the import and marketing of fuel, as well as changes to the pricing framework for essential medicines.

Citizen Initiative is not opposed to private-sector participation in principle. However, without effective competition and strong regulatory oversight, allowing the fuel sector to become concentrated in the hands of one or a few large companies could simply replace state control with private monopoly power. This could lead to higher prices and greater uncertainty in supply, while potentially making the government overly dependent on, or even vulnerable to pressure from, one or a few private companies.

We are equally concerned about the decision to roll back the 2026 policy initiative that sought to regulate the prices of 295 essential medicines and return to the previous system covering only 117 medicines. If price regulation for life-saving medicines is weakened and the market becomes increasingly dependent on the decisions of a few companies, the cost of healthcare could rise sharply. This would place the greatest burden on low-income and lower-middle-income families and could also create wider social and economic pressure, potentially undermining the stability of the government.

Citizen Initiative believes that, in both the energy and pharmaceutical sectors, private-sector participation must be accompanied by effective competition, appropriate price regulation, strong market monitoring, and meaningful accountability. The government has a responsibility to ensure that no business group is allowed to hold people’s basic needs hostage or exploit them for excessive profit.

We believe that one of the key aspirations of the July Mass Uprising was to build a democratic, accountable, and citizen-centred state. In such a state, policies that put people’s livelihoods, cost of living, or access to essential services at risk should not be pursued without careful consideration.

We therefore urge the government to meaningfully consult relevant stakeholders, reassess these policies in light of their potential impact on the public, and take decisions that put the public interest above all else.

Submitted by
Public Relations
Citizen Initiative