PESHAWAR: While rejecting the recent increase in the price of petroleum products, the traders’ community has demanded of the federal government to reverse its decision immediately.
In a statement issued here on Sunday, Traders Alliance Peshawar president Mujeeb-ur-Rehman also expressed serious concern over the increase in fuel price and demanded the government to reverse its decision. He feared that the frequent increase in price of petroleum products would further increase inflation and the poor people would be unable to meet their routine expenses.
Meanwhile, Pakistan People’s Party provincial president Muhammad Humayun Khan said that the government failed to provide any relief to the poverty-hit masses rather added to their miseries. The PPP Leader said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government had focused its attention on victimization of the opposition parties and did nothing for the welfare of the people. Rejecting the increase in price of petroleum products he said the government repeatedly claimed to have approved a tax-free budget but the frequent increase in prices of daily use commodities including fuel, cooking oil, LPG proved that the budget had no relief for the poor.
He also condemned federal minister for Kashmir Affairs Ali Amin Gandapur for allegedly using derogatory language against former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and asked him to seek apology for his comments.
Similarly, Awami National Party central president Asfandyar Wali Khan described the increase in fuel price as ‘Eid gift’ to the masses. He urged the government to review its decision as it would lead to an increase in the transportation charges and consequent negative impact on the daily use of commodities. He said the people were already suffering financially due to restrictions for containing Covid-19 pandemic that the prices of different edible items were rapidly increasing and thus making the lives of the poor people miserable.
Meanwhile, Tehreek-e-Istiqlal central president Rehmat Khan Wardag in another statement here said that the government had failed to devise an effective policy for control on power tariff, petroleum products and kitchen items. “We have been giving suggestions to the rulers to adopt durable policies for control on power shortage by constructing new dams in the country but the successive governments are least bothered to take initiatives for the purpose,” he said. He stressed the need for construction of new water reservoirs to preserve the precious water. He said the construction of new dams would create jobs and utilize a large quantity of cement and steel which will boost our industry, in addition to its main purpose of water storage for irrigation and producing cheap and affordable electricity.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021