Uproar in NA over fuel price surge

Govt and opp trade barbs over inflation and security

ISLAMABAD:

The National Assembly witnessed heated exchanges between government and opposition members on Monday over rising inflation and the steep increase in petrol prices announced in the wake of the escalating crisis in the Middle East.

The session, chaired by Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa Shah, saw opposition members demanding an immediate discussion on the rising cost of living and staging a protest in front of the speaker's dais.

During the proceedings, MNA Noor Alam Khan called for suspending the Question Hour and holding a debate on inflation and the surge in petrol prices, saying the public's most pressing concern was the rising cost of living.

He said the House should prioritise discussing the increase in fuel prices. Meanwhile, MNA Iqbal Afridi brought a poster into the chamber bearing slogans against the petrol price hike.

Opposition members gathered in front of the speaker's dais, chanting slogans against the increase in fuel prices. Noor Alam Khan also joined the protest briefly.

Responding to criticism, Minister of State Talal Chaudhry said the government maintained a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and was ready to provide records wherever evidence existed.

He said relevant institutions took action whenever corruption occurred.

Speaking about the Aurat March, Chaudhry said many individuals had contacted organisers regarding participation and that a large number of men had also been present.

He added that some individuals had attempted to start a gathering without permission and that there had also been efforts to assemble unauthorised individuals at Parliament Lodges.

According to him, security measures had been taken to ensure everyone's safety, and he apologised if the public had faced inconvenience.

Opposition MNA Aalia Kamran expressed concern over rising crime in Islamabad, saying the crime rate in the capital was increasing.

She questioned the government's claim that crime had declined and asked how many police officers had been dismissed over corruption.

MNA Agha Rafiullah also criticised traffic problems caused by security measures in the Red Zone, saying thousands of vehicles had been stuck on Margalla Road, resulting in wasted time and fuel for commuters.

In a written response submitted to the National Assembly, the Interior Ministry said 108 criminal gangs had been identified in Islamabad over the past six months, while 62 had been arrested.

Authorities responded to 353 serious incidents through rapid response measures, while 1,633 cases were traced with the help of the Safe City system.

According to the ministry, the emergency helpline Pucar-15 received 1,578,009 calls, including 109,157 that required immediate police response.