The recent petroleum price-hike has drawn a sharp reaction from politicians and people, hailing from different shades of life, who rejected the increase and termed it anti-people step of the Pakistan People's Party-led coalition government. Expressing concern over increase in the oil prices, they said the increase in the prices was a cruel joke with the people, who were unable to bear more financial burden due to escalating price hike.
They were of the view that increase in petroleum prices amounted to taxing the people and imposing a mini-budget on them, destroying the sanctity of the national budget. They said that salaried class would badly suffer due to this decision of the government, which was following the policies of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) blindly. Senior Political Assistant to the Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Pervez Malik has termed the increase as a "petrol bomb attack" on the nation.
He was of the view that the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) had raised the prices of petroleum products without considering its negative impact on trade, industry, agriculture and common man. He said that the increase in diesel prices would multiply the difficulties of agriculture sector, as almost all agriculture tubwells and other machinery was using diesel as fuel, while the industrial input cost would also increase, as petrol and electricity were the basic raw materials of industry.
He said Pakistani goods were already hit hard to compete in the international market and if the government kept on continuing to take negative steps, Pakistani exports would further squeeze. He said the businessmen were finding it difficult to compete in the globalise competitive environment due to high cost of production in the country.
At the time when trade, industry and common man were fighting for their survival, he said, the government was burdening them instead of providing any relief. He said raise in petroleum prices would reduce the people's buying power and poverty level would further increase. He urged the government to immediately withdraw the raise in petroleum prices and cut its own expenses.
Central Secretary General of Pakistan Muslim League-Functional Sheikh Anwer Saeed told Business Recorder that the masses had already been suffering owing to the outcome of price hike, unemployment and poverty, while the elected government, instead of giving any relief to them, was plunging them into further crisis.
He said the people had been forced to commit suicides due to increasing price hike and poverty, while the rulers had turned a deaf ear to their sufferings. He described the recent hike in petroleum prices a fatal blow to poor masses, and stressed that all burden of price hike should not be shifted to them alone. He said there was a wide difference between tall claims of public welfare of the government and actual steps taken by it.
He also alleged that the government was implementing a plan that would further push the masses towards an abject poverty. Punjab Jama'at-e-Islami Secretary General Nazir Ahmed Janjua said that increase in petroleum prices was an anti-people step of the government that would definitely increase their economic woes. He was of the view that the government was committing contempt of court by repeatedly raising the prices of petroleum products.
He announced that his party would hold protest against anti-people steps of the government. He said the people were being mobilised against price hike and increasing US intervention. He also criticised both the PPP and PML-N for not taking care of people. On one hand, billions of rupees plundered under the cover of NRO, while on the other, people were being burdened through anti-people steps, he added.