Opp terms power, fuel price hike ‘economic murder’
The opposition parties – mainly the PML-N and PPP – on Sunday lashed out at the PTI-led government for increasing the power and fuel prices, describing the moves as the “economic murder” of the people.
PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif said Prime Minister Imran Khan had only jacked up prices since coming into power.
“The electricity tariff hike and the increase in fuel prices are the ‘economic murder’ of the people,” the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly told the media in Lahore. He further maintained that the government’s “incompetence” and “cruel inflation” had ruined the lives of the people.
“We have the highest inflation rate in the history of the country. This is the result of the negligence and corruption of Imran Khan Niazi and his government.” In response to a query, the opposition leader said he was a recurring nightmare for PM Imran. He claimed that poverty and unemployment were rampant in the country.
Shehbaz said the long march of the opposition alliance -- the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) was to save the people from inflation and economic crisis. Separately, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari claimed that Prime Minister Imran Khan would have to face the wrath of the people from February 27 for increasing electricity and fuel prices, referring to his party’s long march to Islamabad.
He was speaking to key personalities of the party at Zardari House in Islamabad, where he briefed them about the preparations for the long march on February 27. PPP Central Executive Committee Member Anwar Saifullah Khan; Central Deputy Secretary Information Asma Arbab Alamgir, senior leaders Syed Zahir Shah and Haji Dilbar Khan, and Engineer Naveed Iqbal, Nizam Din, Syed Imam Malik Shah and Sherullah from the from party’s District Diamer.
Talking to the delegations, the PPP chairman said the PTI-led government was committing “economic murder” of the people with the increase in electricity tariff by Rs4 and fuel prices by Rs3. He added that the long march of the PPP was to save the people from inflation and economic crisis. “It is now necessary to get rid of Imran Khan to end Inflation and unemployment,” he added.
The PPP chairman said people would leave for Islamabad on February 27 from every corner of the country to hold PM Imran accountable for the rising inflation. “The government has mortgaged the people to the IMF [International Monetary Fund]. Pakistan's decisions are being made abroad,” he maintained. Earlier, the PPP chairman congratulated newly elected president of the Larkana Bar Association (LBA) Safdar Ali Ghauri and General Secretary Amanullah Lohar.
Read: Inflation to stay in double digits in Dec
Bilawal said the LBA had proven to be an important front in the struggle for rule of law and Constitution in the country. “The sacrifices made by the lawyers of LBA for democracy and supremacy of the Constitution are unforgettable.” The PPP chairman hoped that the legal community of Larkana would join the front lines of the party’s long march on February 27.
“The ‘selected’ government is constantly attacking democracy and Constitution. It is important for Pakistan to thwart these attacks.” Addressing a party convention in Sialkot, PML-N leader and former defence minister Khawaja Asif claimed that PTI members were also “in tears” because of PM Imran.
He added that the people’s votes were robbed three years ago, the effects of which were being felt by the entire nation today.
The PML-N leader maintained that those who had brought the PTI to power were also cutting off their hands because people across the country were being grinded in the mill of inflation. “Just hours after the budget was approved, electricity, gas and oil prices were jacked up.” Asif claimed that the people who had financed PM Imran were receiving the price from the whole nation.
“Imran Khan has given free rein to his financiers.” He maintained that PM Imran was the country’s ruler today because the people had backed away from their national goals. “The treatment of the poor and minorities in our country is in front of everyone.”
The PML-N leader claimed that there were several rifts in the ruling party.
“Because of Imran Khan, now the PTI people are also in tears.” Separately in a statement, PPP leader Shazia Marri said the party rejected the fuel price hike. “The people were waiting for some relief by reducing fuel prices,” she added.
“However, the government has increased the prices and overburdened the downtrodden people of the country.” Marri maintained that the fuel price hike would further increase inflation, vowing to raise the issue in parliament. She demanded that the government immediately reverse the recent increase in fuel prices.
“Who is being benefited by plundering the pockets of the people by increasing the prices?” Marri said she would join the caravan of the party chairman on February 27 to rid the nation of this “incompetent” government.
(With input from our correspondent in Sialkot)