Chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday rejected increase in prices of petroleum products and said that Imran Khan has robbed the poor by hiking the price to the highest level in history.
Bilawal Bhutto, in a statement, said that with petrol and dollar at historic high, everyday use items will soon be out of reach of the masses. He said that Imran Khan, who came into power with promises of cheap petrol, has not only increased the price to historic high but is trying to defend the massive hike also.
Separately, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Hina Pervez Butt has submitted a resolution in the Punjab Assembly against the increase in prices of petroleum products. The resolution stated that this House rejects the increase in the prices of petroleum products as Rs5 increase in the price of petrol is reprehensible. It added that the common man is already dealing with inflation and an increase in price of petrol every 15 days is a clear proof of anti-people government. The incumbent government has failed miserably in providing relief to the people, it added.
It merits mention that government on Wednesday approved an increase of Rs5 per litre in the price of petrol. According to a notification issued by the Finance Division, the price of petrol has been increased by Rs 5 per litre and new price will be Rs 123.30 while High Speed Diesel price increased by Rs 5.01 and the new price will be Rs 120.04. The price of Kerosene Oil has been increased by Rs 5.42 per litre with new price Rs 92.26 whereas Light Diesel Oil price increased by Rs 5.92 per litre and its new price will be Rs 90.69.
Meanwhile, Karachi’s goods transporters have threatened the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government with a strike if it did not withdraw hike in the prices of petroleum products it had announced Wednesday. They said that the transporters would park their vehicles in protest if the government did not take its decision back, adding that the country’s transport sector was on the verge of destruction thanks to what they called the government’s anti-transport policies. They expressed the fear that the recent hike in petroleum prices would lead to more inflation in the country.
