Days after the government jacked up petroleum prices and earned criticism from all quarters, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Saturday ordered immediate withdrawal of the notification during a meeting with Finance Minister Saleem H Mandviwala at the PM’s House.
The finance minister briefed the prime minister about the overall economic situation in the country and the rationale for the recent increase in petroleum prices. However, the prime minister ordered him to immediately withdraw the recent hike in petroleum prices, saying the decision was “adversely affecting the lives of the common people”.
He said the democratic government would not tolerate any additional burden on the people and would ensure relief to the common man.
He stressed that the government “accords highest priority to the welfare of the people and will pursue policies to facilitate them”. With a couple of weeks left in the tenure of the current government and
On the other hand, the announcement to withdraw the recent increase in POL prices was welcomed.
“The increase was not acceptable to the business community and the common man,” said Anjuman-e-Tajran Auto Parts President Waqar Ahmad. He was of the view that oil prices in the international market were going down and there was no justification for the increase.
