Opposition parties and some coalition partners of Pakistan Peoples Party have expressed serious concern over yet another increase in the prices of petroleum products soon after passage of the budget 2009-10.
The government on Tuesday notified to increase prices of light diesel by Rs 5.9 per liter, petrol Rs 6.94 per liter, kerosene by Rs 7.48 per liter and HOBC Rs 8.50 per liter shocking the poor segment of the society despite the fact that the lawmakers in the recent session of National Assembly had time and again requested the government to not further increase the petroleum prices keeping in view the on going economic crisis in the country.
The opposition lawmakers had also been underlining the drastic reduction in the petroleum products price in the international market as the government never followed the suit. The politicians are of the view that due to the latest substantial increase in the petroleum products price, the poor segment of the society would have to suffer again as the 20 percent increase in the salaries in the budget would have no affect the lives of the oppressed people.
Talking to Business Recorder, MQM parliamentarian Dr Abdul Kadir Khanzada said that the raise in the petroleum products prices would aggravate the difficulties of the already suffering people at the hands of skyrocketing inflation, unemployment and poverty. He said that the move would also erode the government's reputation at a time when the people are expecting some relief.
He proposed that instead of increasing in the prices of the petroleum product heavy tax be levied on the feudal lords to generate revenue. He was of the view that 20 percent raise in the salaries of the lower grade workers would be meaningless if the government continues to increase the petroleum prices in such a manner.
He further said that the recent increase in the prices is the result of the carbon taxes as included in the budget. PML-Q lawmaker Ghaus Bux Khan Mehr lamented the government's decision to increase the petroleum products price, saying that the masses are already in serious difficulties due to double digit inflation and it would further multiply the hardships as petroleum products price affect the rates of all other products.
Condemning the increase, PML-N Information Secretary Chaudhry Ahsan Iqbal said that yet another increase in the petroleum product price tantamount to the masses animosity as the government is already taxing the petroleum products. He said that the decision has been taken on the dictation of International Monetary Fund (IMF) and it would cause to inflationary tsunami in the country.
He was of the view that people are already facing unprecedented double digit inflation. The PML-N leader said that the increase would also badly affect the industrial development resultantly increasing the unemployment. He vowed that his party would fight against such irrational decision of the government in and outside the Parliament in a bid to give relief to the masses.
On the one hand, he said, people are suffering from the menace of the worse series of load shedding and on the other, the government takes a new anti-poor decision perturbing the masses. PML-Q leader and former Minister for Water and Power Engineer Amir Moqam condemned the government's decision for increasing the petroleum prices. He added that contrary to this, PML-Q government had controlled the prices by giving subsidy on the utilities. All the relief, he said, had been transferred to the poor masses by the present government.