Opp demands withdrawal of fuel price hike

Senators stage token walkout; MNAs fear POL prices may reach Rs400 per litre

ISLAMABAD:

The opposition benches in parliament – both the upper and lower houses – criticised the third increase in petroleum prices within 20 days, saying that the coalition government is out to “suck the blood of the poor man”.

Both the senators and the MNAs demanded of the government to immediately withdraw the hike in fuel prices.

During a sitting presided over by Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, Leader of the Opposition Dr Shahzad Waseem asked where were the finance minister and the IMF representative hiding as the opposition rejected the hike in petroleum products.

This caused a commotion in the house and the opposition members, chanting slogans against the hike, surrounded the chairman’s dais.

The opposition then walked out of the house in protest against the rise in the prices of petroleum products. The chairman directed senators Danesh Kumar and Bahramand Tangi to convince the opposition members to return. The opposition members returned to the house after staging a token walkout.

Criticising the government on the rise in prices of petroleum products, Senator Mushtaq Ahmed of the Jamaat-e-Islami said in the last 20 days, fuel prices had gone up by Rs130. “They have turned Pakistan into an IMF base.”

The opposition walked out again after Senator Ataur Rehman called Imran a “gazetted thief”.

After being pointed out the lack of quorum, the session was adjourned till 10am till Friday (today).

Further, the lower house of parliament session began under the chairmanship of Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.

MNA Mohsin Dawar said petrol prices had increased further, while inflation was already in double digits.

“We are trapped in the clutches of the IMF, as they are dictating their terms to us.”

He said there should be a National Finance Commission award, but the Council of Common Interests does not hold a meeting.

PTI MNA Dr Muhammad Afzal Dhandla said when Muftah Ismail became the finance minister, “we were happy that ‘Muftah’ is in his name and the people will get relief, but he remained silent for some days, and then dropped a petrol bomb on the people”.

“We demand the government to immediately reverse the rise in prices of petroleum products. Of course, the country's economic situation is bad, but we should all sit down and find a solution.”

PTI MNA Mir Khan Mohammad Jamali clarified that he had not resigned. “There were reports in the media that I had come to you [speaker] and tendered my resignation, which caused great damage to my political reputation.”

Jamali said that eight weeks ago the government came to power … “where did you take the price of petrol in eight weeks … in three weeks, the it has gone up by Rs84 per litre and diesel price by Rs119 per litre”.

“Are they (coalition government) gathered to suck the blood of the people? Look at the condition of load-shedding, there was not so much load-shedding two-and-a-half months ago, it seems that petrol and diesel will go up to Rs400 per litre.”

He urged the government to make the prices of ghee, pulses and sugar cheaper.

PML-N member Syed Javed Hasnain said that PDM preferred the state over its politics.

“If the farmers are prosperous then Pakistan is also prosperous. There is talk of reducing the rates of vegetables, fruits, wheat and sugar. There is no talk of reducing the cost of fertiliser, diesel tractors and agricultural machinery.”

Federal Minister Ayaz Sadiq proposed formation of a committee of one member from each party and meeting the Agricultural Development Bank president and the Ministry of Finance officials so that the loans of small farmers could be recovered.

Deputy Speaker Zahid Akram Durrani appreciated the proposal of Sadiq and gave a rolling call for its implementation, saying that it was a very good proposal to be implemented.