There was across the board criticism of the government's decision to increase price of petroleum products by up to 9 percent, inclusive of industrialists, traders, transporters and the general masses. The Karachi based Tankers Association has announced to protest on Tuesday against the rise in POL prices.
People from different walks of life while talking to Business Recorder lamented the government's decision to raise prices of petroleum products and stated that they were already hard pressed to make ends meet and with the hike the government has further compromised their capacity to feed their families.
The businesses are already facing tough challenges and further increase in POL prices with a spill over effect on power tariff, will fuel inflation and have a negative impact on business activities, said Mahfooz Elahi, President of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
He said that government always increases prices when the international price of oil rises, while decrease in international price is passed on to the consumers in a niggardly fashion. Mahfooz Elahi said increase in the petrol and diesel prices will have a direct and immediate impact on the transportation cost for the general masses and the price of all commodities would also rise as a consequence.
Elahi maintained that the government spends a huge amount of foreign exchange to import oil for the generation of electricity but unfortunately, no concrete plan has been developed for the generation of electricity from alternate resources.
Chairman AgriForum Pakistan, Ibrahim Mughal said that the government increased the POL prices at a time when farmers across the country are ready to sow Rabi crops and this would definitely increase the cost of different agriculture inputs from fertiliser to tube-wells.
He said that presently farmers are busy in cultivating, wheat, pulses, canola and other Rabi related crops but the government has increased oil prices which would affect over 0.8 million tube-wells and 0.9 million tractors operating in the agriculture sector. He revealed that the agriculture machinery was consuming about 3.5 billion liters of diesel per annum and increase in diesel price by Rs 5 per litre would increase input costs of the growers by an additional amount of Rs 17.5 billion, which would propel food inflation.
Ahmed Hanif a representative of Transport Union Rawalpindi/Islamabad said that the increase in POL price would not disturb the elite and high government officials, but it would increase financial burden on the masses. He said at present transporters are considering increasing transport fares and in this regard they would soon decide by how much exactly. Ahmed Hanif said that if the government did not withdraw the decision of raising POL prices the transporters would go on strike.
He urged the government to immediately withdraw increase in petroleum prices to save the common man from further burden. President Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), Ali Raza said that traders across the country are unanimously rejecting the government decision and would protest against this.
Ali Raza said that the government was increasing the price of electricity, petroleum products and natural gas on monthly basis on the dictation of the IMF and World Bank and has never taken business community into confidence, which is the largest tax paying community in the country.
He said that foreign investors are reluctant to invest in the country owing to law and order situation and recent steps of the government would negatively impact on local investment. He accused the government of increasing prices of POL products to meet its expenditures instead of reducing official expenses.
Commenting on hike in POL prices, Ms Nighat Arshad a school teacher complained that all governments claim they are people friendly but they are only interested in personal interest. Masood Akhtar a taxi driver was of the view that the decision would result in increasing the price of all commodities and the government appears unconcerned about the plight of the common man.