Country boils in anger over massive fuel price hike

The masses on Sunday strongly protested against the latest hike in petroleum and CNG prices, which also triggered an increase in transport prices in various cities.
Traders and industrialists in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and other parts of the country gave a 72-hours ultimatum to the government to withdraw the galloping increase otherwise they would start protests. The Karachi Traders Alliance said that if the government did not withdraw the decision, they would start a civil disobedience movement after 72 hours. Similar threats were given by LCCI President Irfan Qaiser Sheikh and the ICCI president saying that they would close industries after 72 hours if the increase was not rescinded.
All Pakistan Transporters Association also warned to increase transport fares after 24 hours. In many cities transporters are already charging commuters exorbitantly and there were scuffles between transporters and commuters. Punjab Urban Transport Owner’s Association Secretary General Arshad Khan Niazi warned of an increase in transport fares. He said that transport fare on inter-city routes will be increased by 5 percent while a 10 percent increase will be imposed during days of CNG stations closure.
In Lahore, the Inter-City Transport Ittehad announced raising fares of local transportation by 10 percent. In Peshawar, local transporters also raised their fares without any notification, which added to the miseries of the people.
In Quetta, people protested against the price hike saying this would increase prices of other commodities as well. Prices of vegetables and fruits have already gone up in all cities.
All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA), rejecting the hike in CNG prices, asked the government to review the decision, saying it would put an extra burden on the masses, especially commuters. Daily commuters will be badly hit by the increase in CNG price as 90 percent public transport of the country is using CNG. APCNGA Chairman Ghayas Paracha said the government, during the last few months, had increased CNG prices by Rs 16 per kg, adding its price was Rs 44 in July 2008 which reached Rs 78 per kg in March 2012 and after the current hike it hit almost Rs 90 per kg.
The Attock Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) rejected the fuel price hike and termed it the government’s failure. ACCI President Tariq Mehmood said that Pakistan consumes 4.5 lakh of petroleum products per day while the government was earning around Rs 1.36 billion per day in shape of controversial Petroleum Levy and GST.
After the recent revision, the government will make masses to pay extra Rs 820 million per day for petrol and diesel etc. while those consuming CNG will pay an extra amount of Rs 1 billion, he informed. Separately, citizens of Islamabad and Rawalpindi rejected the fuel price hike and asked the government to immediately reverse the decision. They threatened to take the matter to the streets if the government did not reverse its decision.
Coming hard on the government, its allies the MQM and ANP also rejected the fuel price hike. The MQM Coordination Committee demanded that the increase is a crime against the public and the decision should be retracted immediately. The committee added that the government should cut down its non-developmental expenditures instead of raising petrol prices which has become a huge burden on the public.
PPP-S Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Sikandar Sherpao rejected the fuel price hike and said the move was unacceptable. Addressing a public gathering at Bakhshi Pul Peshawar, he said that the decision would lead to closure of industry across the country.
ANP MNA Bushra Rehman said that the rich class should be brought into the tax net instead of putting more burden on poor people. She said that the ANP is against the policy of increasing oil prices every month.