Heated protest in NA over fuel price hike

Opposition raises slogans, tears up agenda copies

ISLAMABAD:

Opposition lawmakers staged protest in the National Assembly on Friday against the sharp increase in petroleum prices, preventing the treasury benches from taking up a hefty 90-point legislative agenda.

During the session, with Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah in the chair, some opposition members tore up copies of the agenda in frustration. They insisted on speaking on the fuel price hike, but the chair maintained that Question Hour would be taken up first.

The government on Thursday announced a 43% increase in the price of petrol and 55% in diesel, taking the new rates to a record-high Rs458.4 per litre and Rs520.35 per litre, respectively. The cumulative impact since the Middle East war began is 63% for petrol and 75% for diesel.

Opposition lawmakers began chanting slogans against the government and the fuel hike at the outset of the session, surrounding the speaker's podium in a show of defiance. The protest continued despite warnings, and ultimately, the floor was temporarily given to the opposition.

Speaking on the occasion, Junaid Akbar Khan of the PTI criticised the government, saying: "This incompetent and thieving government was imposed on Pakistan. Last night, this imposed government dropped a petrol bomb on the people."

At one point, the chair warned him not to speak against any state institution. Noor Alam Khan of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), however, called on the chair to allow parliamentarians to discuss the price hike, highlighting public frustration over rising energy costs.

The house had been slated to take up a 90-point agenda, including Question Hour, a calling attention notice regarding the new net metering policy for solar prosumers, and several bills. But none of these matters was addressed amid the noisy opposition protest.

Following the continued protest, the National Assembly session was adjourned until Monday. While adjourning, Deputy Speaker Shah remarked that the opposition could not dictate the chair through such protests.

Earlier, the chair had sought details of the government delegation's conversation with journalists who walked out of the press gallery on Thursday in protest against layoffs, suspension of salaries, and other issues.

Monazza Hassan, a delegation member, informed the deputy speaker that the journalists had put forward some "genuine demands" and suggested that the information minister and speaker intervene to ensure redressal.