Ousting PM only way to redress economic woes: Shehbaz

Govt has neither intention nor capacity to provide relief to the masses

ISLAMABAD:

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday continued his railing against Prime Minister Imran Khan for dropping the “petrol bomb”, saying an increase in the electricity rates following the fuel price hike was tantamount to adding insult to injury.

Shehbaz, in a statement, said that following the spike in petroleum prices, electricity rates had shot up by six rupees and advised PM Imran to tame the rising costs “to save yourself from curses of masses.”

“The brutal increase in petrol has already set the price of everything, including flour and sugar, on fire,” he said, adding that the government’s policies were dictated by the interests of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

He said the government has neither the intention nor the capacity to provide relief to the people, adding that the only means to redress the economic woes was to oust the ruling party.

On Tuesday, the prices went dearer as the government approved an increase of up to Rs12.03 per litre in the prices of petroleum products, taking that of petrol to a record level of Rs159.86 per litre effective from February 16.

Read Shehbaz's indictment put off

The price of petrol broke all previous records by reaching the Rs160 per litre mark, tightening the squeeze on consumers. Subsequently, 28 essential commodities also became costlier.

The PML-N leader, who has been actively seeking the cooperation of the government’s allies against the ruling party, slammed the PTI-led government for “providing relief to the allies but has nothing left for the common man”.

The sharp rise of 125% in energy imports is a cause for concern, Shehbaz stated and claimed that the business community was deeply hurt and worried. “The people are helpless and the rulers are in denial.”

“The people could not get relief and all the government has been doing is churning out excuses,” he added.