People from every walk of life, including political parties, on Sunday unanimously rejected the recent increase in petroleum products by Oil and Gas Regularity Authority and demanded the government immediately withdraw the notification.
Strongly condemning the decision of the government, the masses who are already facing inflation, unemployment, poverty and the poor law and order situation, said the increase would make their lives more miserable. Jamaat-e-Islami, Paksitan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Pakistan Muslim League-Likeminded, Jamait-e-Ulema-e-Islam and transporters and traders rejected the petrol bomb and asked the government withdraw the notification otherwise there would be protests in the country.
The OGRA has increased the price of petrol by Rs 4.85 per liter and that of high speed diesel by Rs 4.42 per liter which would directly affect the masses. “The people of Pakistan are already under the burden of high prices and the recent increase will put further pressure on them,” former provincial minister and Jamaat-e-Islami leader, Ashmat Khan, said while addressing a protest demonstration against the raise in petroleum prices in front of the Peshawar Press Club.
Pakistan Muslim League-Likeminded provincial president Malik Raiz Ahmad warned the government not to test the patience of the people. He added the recent increase would cause more inflation and increase the miseries of the people who would be forced to come on the streets if the decision was not withdrawn.
Muhammad Ali, a schoolteacher, told Pakistan Today the government should curb corruption and cut its own expenditures to raise revenues instead of creating problems for the poor people.
