PPP demands govt take back petrol price hike

Islamabad (HRNW) Former Senate chairman Mian Raza Rabbani demanded the government roll back its decision to increase the prices of petroleum products.

“In September, the price of petrol was hiked by Rs9 per litre,” he said. “The prices of necessary food items are at an all-time high now. The government should immediately withdraw its decision to increase the price of petrol,” he added.

He said the masses will be unable to brave the hike in prices of petroleum products, adding that the “elite in the government” is pushing people towards either suicide or rebellion.

Rabbani said the government had increased the power tariff by Rs1.39 per unit in line with the IMF’s demands. He said the PPP condemns the move, adding that it was taken after a subsidy of Rs77bn on electricity was withdrawn by the government.

“The government has hiked the prices of cooking oil and ghee by 40%,” he said. “The prices of cooking oil and ghee have skyrocketed to Rs399 and Rs409 per kg. Prices of tomatoes, potatoes, ghee, mutton, LPG and 22 other items of necessary use have seen an increase recently.”

Rabbani lamented that the US dollar had reached an all-time high over the past couple of days, adding that the IMF wanted the government to impose more taxes in exchange of its loan to Pakistan.