'Tsunami of inflation': Opposition lambasts PM Imran for petroleum price hike

Bomb of petrol inflation is a continuation of the mini-budget, says Shehbaz

LAHORE/ KARACHI:

The opposition on Saturday heavily criticised the incumbent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government for a record level increase in the prices of petroleum products and called it a "tsunami of inflation".

Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said Prime Minister Imran Khan is "an enemy of the people" after the federal government increased the price of petrol by Rs10.49 per litre taking it to a record level of Rs137.79 per litre.

The price of another essential commodity, high-speed diesel (HSD), was increased by Rs12.44 and will now sell at Rs134.48.

The price of light-speed diesel was also jacked up by Rs8.84 and will now be sold for Rs108.35 per litre, according to a notification by the Finance Division. Kerosene oil price has touched Rs110.26 after an increase of Rs10.95.

The increase in petroleum products came a day after Federal Energy Minister Hammad Azhar said the government would increase the power tariff by Rs1.39 per unit from November 1 because of the increasing circular debt of the country.

Today, the PPP leader said the increase in the price of petroleum products a day after the rise in electricity tariff prices proved that "Imran Khan was an anti-people prime minister".

“By bringing the price of petroleum products to the highest level in the history of the country, PTI has brought a tsunami of inflation,” he said. “By increasing the price of petrol by more than Rs10 per litre, the government is actually collecting the price of its incompetence from the people.”

Bilawal added that only a people-friendly government of the PPP could save the country from this turmoil.

“During PPP's rule, the prices of petroleum products in the world market had skyrocketed, but we did not impose such a burden on the people,” Bilawal said.

He also urged the masses to support him to get rid of the "tyrannical government" that was pushing Pakistan into the mire of inflation.

'Imran Khan should spare the lives of the people'

PML-N President and Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, reacting to the price hike, said PM Imran should spare the lives of the people instead of "bleeding them dry".

Shehbaz termed the increase in prices as a continuation of the mini-budget.

“After the recent 14% increase in the price of electricity, the bomb of petrol inflation is a continuation of the mini-budget which is evidence of the current government’s failures,” he said.

The PML-N president added that raising the price of petrol by more than Rs10 per litre was similar to taking the "being cursed by oppressed people".

“How will the people survive?” he asked. “How will people feed their children? Cost of everything goes up with the increase in petrol prices. Then Imran [Khan] Niazi says that the nation does not understand the reason for the inflation.”

He lamented that a person with a salary of Rs10,000 was getting an electricity bill the same amount.

“What will that person eat?” he asked. “How will they pay the rent? How will he survive?”

Shehbaz added that the premier had completely failed in the service of the country and its people. "No matter what, such a person doesn't have the right to cling to the seat of the prime minister."

It may be recalled that OGRA had proposed an increase in the price of petrol by Rs 5.90 per litre.