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ISLAMABAD: Government allies and Opposition on Friday heavily criticized Prime Minister Imran Khan and his government for rising prices of petroleum products two days after the premier’s announcement of the “historic relief package in Pakistan’s history”.
Taking to Twitter, Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif asserted that since the incumbent government came to power, it had brought the entire nation to “the ration card”.
“[PM] Imran Khan lets the axe of inflation fall on the public and then wonders why inflation is surging in the country,” he tweeted, adding, “Over the past three years, the price of edible oil has increased by over 130%.”
تین سال میں موجودہ حکومت ملک کو راشن کارڈ پر لے آئی ہے
عوام پر مہنگائی کا کلہاڑا برسا کر عمران نیازی کہتے ہیں کہ مہنگائی کیوں بڑھ رہی ہے؟
تیل سال میں خوردنی تیل کی قیمت میں 130 فیصد کا ظالمانہ اضافہ ہوچکا ہے
— President PMLN (@president_pmln) November 5, 2021
Shehbaz Sharif further said the PTI government had “surpassed all limits of incompetency, inefficiency and corruption”. Noting that it would lead to a rise in inflation, Shehbaz said it had become difficult for people to live.
“The government is about to increase inflation by raising the petroleum levy on the orders of IMF which is cruel. The government has also given in to the IMF’s conditions for increasing electricity tariff. The nation is asking: these are the good days they (PTI government) have brought?” he added.
He also compared the country’s situation to other regional states, saying that taxes on petroleum products were reduced in India while Bangladesh and Sri Lanka had lower prices for diesel. “The people were now praying to get rid of the PTI government”, he claimed.
“Government officers are being changed because of incompetence but Imran Khan is still sitting on his seat after the biggest incompetence and corruption,” Shehbaz added.
‘Slash prices immediately’
Meanwhile, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) information secretary Shazia Marri demanding the government to slash prices immediately or else be prepared for a reaction that the “government will not be able to survive”.
She called on the people to be prepared as the PPP would soon announce plans for protest. “Imran Khan has harmed people instead of giving relief. The time for accountability has arrived,” she said in a statement posted on Twitter.
عوام تیار رہیں، پاکستان پیپلزپارٹی مہنگائی کے خلاف جلد اپنے اگلے احتجاجی پروگرام کا اعلان کرے گی، شازیہ مری، مرکزی سیکریٹری اطلاعات
عوام کو عمران خان نے ریلیف کے نام پر تکلیف دی، اب حساب کا وقت آچکا ہے، شازیہ مری، پی پی پی پی سیکریٹری اطلاعات
— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) November 5, 2021
“Imran Khan is taking anti-people steps to fulfil IMF’s agenda. The premier, who used to associate rising petrol prices with the thievery of the rulers, tell us, is the recent increase an acknowledgement of your thievery?” she questioned.
‘Not a wise decision’
The MQM’s Rabta Committee also condemned the hike in prices of petroleum products, stressing that it would have a direct effect on the prices of essential items. “The public have already been crushed under the weight of inflation,” stated the party’s Rabta Committee.
“Shifting the entire burden of globally increasing prices of food items on the public is not a wise decision,” the committee said, advising the government to do away with “unnecessary expenditures” instead of shifting the burden of inflation on the masses.
“The prime minister should have some mercy on the people and take back his decision to hike prices of petroleum products,” it added.
‘The poor are being crushed’
Another ally of the ruling party, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-N) has also condemned the petrol price hike, saying that the prime minister’s relief package was not adequate for the masses.
“The country is undergoing extreme inflation, the poor are being crushed and no one seems to care about it,” said the PML-Q’s Kamil Ali Agha during Geo News morning show. He said the PTI government does not believe in consultations.
Hike in petrol prices
According to a notification issued late on Thursday night, the federal government raised petroleum prices by up to Rs8.14 per litre with immediate effect.
The ex-depot price of petrol was fixed at Rs145.82 per litre, showing an increase of Rs8.03. The ex-depot price of high-speed diesel was fixed at Rs142.62 per litre, up Rs8.14, the notification added.
The government had earlier decided to keep the prices unchanged in “public interest”.
