KARACHI:
The prices of petroleum products have been raised again — for a fifth time during the last two and a half months. In fact, all of the last five fortnightly reviews by the government resulted in a raise in the prices of petrol, diesel and other petroleum products. The latest review saw the prices of petrol and diesel soar by Rs2.70 and Rs2.88 per litre, respectively. The prices of kerosene and light diesel oil were increased by Rs3.54 and Rs3 per litre respectively.
With the fresh raise, petrol will now be sold for Rs111.90 per litre and diesel for Rs116.07 per litre. Petrol is mostly used in private transport, small vehicles, rickshaws and motorcycles while diesel mostly serves as fuel for heavy vehicles, public buses, trucks as well as trains, besides being depended upon to run agricultural engines like tractors, tube-wells and threshers. The rise in these two petroleum products will, therefore, trigger a general price hike. It will lead to rise in transport fares which will, in turn, make the transported goods expensive — and it will be the public that will be at the tail end.
Before taking over the reins of the country, Prime Minister Imran Khan had promised to bring down the price of petrol to Rs40 per litre, besides taking other steps for the relief of the masses. However, on assuming the country’s top elected office, he has made the petroleum products even more expensive, adding to the burden of the common man, in particular. It was also reported in the media that the government was working on some cheaper variant of petrol for motorcyclists. I request the Prime Minister to pay particular attention towards providing relief to the masses like by bringing the prices of fuel, utilities and food items within the common man’s reach.
Abdullah Nasir
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, February 3rd, 2021.
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