ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) Saturday strongly rejected the recent increase in the prices of petroleum products by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, and termed the prices at the highest level in the history of Pakistan.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has strongly condemned the unprecedented increase in petroleum products prices and said, "the PTI "puppet" government has brought the tsunami of inflation within the country by surging costs of petroleum merchandise to the highest level."
He said that by increasing the prices of petrol by more than Rs10/liter, the "selected regime" was actually charging the masses for its incompetence.
He pointed out that when the PPP was in power, it by no means imposed such a burden on the public when the costs of petroleum products on the international market skyrocketed even.
"Solely a people-friendly government of the PPP may save the nation from the present tsunami of inflation," he said in a statement, on Saturday.
The PPP chairman said that by making petrol and diesel unbearable, Imran Khan has proved he is an "enemy of the masses".
He urged the people to support him to get rid of the "puppet government", which has been pushing Pakistan into a quagmire of inflation.
PPP-P Central Information Secretary Shazia Atta Marri said that the people are facing serious problems due to the increase in price hike in the country.
She claimed that inflation is crushing the poor people.
"The PTI government should immediately withdraw the increase in the prices of petroleum products," she said in a statement.
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She said, "Imposing an incompetent captain will bring disaster. Rising petrol prices will increase people's problems."
"With the increase in fares, everything including food will become more expensive," the PPP leader said.
"People should support Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to get rid of oppressive and incompetent government," Marri said.
The PPP leader said that the PTI government has again increased petrol price from Rs127.30/liter to Rs137.79/liter.
We have rejected this new increase in the prices of petrol products. This elected government is no less than a "torment" on the people, Shazia Marri said.
The "incompetent" government is squeezing the people of Pakistan on the orders of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), she said.
She said that Prime Minister Imran Khan's own children are out but he is doing injustice to our children.
She claimed that Imran Khan and his gang have become a burden on the country.
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She said that the statements of the "selected" prime minister continue to cause disgrace inside and outside the country. He said that "selected" prime minister is not interested in inflation, he talks on big issues. "If this incompetent government says inflation is not a big problem then what else? They prove by their actions that they are selected," Marri said.
Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Parliamentary Group Leader in the Senate and its Vice President, Senator Sherry Rehman, while criticising the government's back-to-back price hikes has said that petrol price hike by Rs10.49 and diesel by Rs12.44 is worrisome.
She said that the "disaster government" has increased petrol prices by Rs42 per liter in three years.
Does the government have any idea what effect it will have on the people? Rehman said.
She claimed that the OGRA had recommended to the government to increase the price of petrol by Rs6 per liter. Did the IMF recommend an increase of Rs10.49? Sherry Rehman asked.
She said that in the past, Imran Khan used to say that if prices go up, then the rulers are thieves.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021