Federal Minister for Energy Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari told Geo Fact Check over the phone that claims circulating online were "fake". Pakistani social media has been awash with a graphic attributing comments to the minister, in which he allegedly called for gas prices to be increased so that people use electricity instead. On September 6, a graphic appeared on X (formerly Twitter) quoting Leghari as saying: "Gas should be made more expensive so that the public uses electricity instead of gas." The same graphic was also shared across multiple handles.
The minister has refuted the statement, and there is no documentary evidence that he made such remarks. Ministry of Energy spokesperson Zafar Yab Khan also dismissed the graphic as "fake" in a post on his official X account. A review of Leghari's official X account from August 1 to September 14 found no such comments, nor did a review of his August 31 press conference and other public appearances.
No credible Pakistani news outlet has reported any such remarks by Leghari. Independent fact-checking platforms have also verified that the viral social media card lacks any authentic backing or audio-video proof from the minister's public schedule.
Verdict: There is no evidence that Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari called for gas prices to be increased to encourage the public to use electricity instead.