ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has said that the ‘propaganda’ regarding the increase in petrol prices was baffling.
In a series of tweets, the minister defended the recent hike in oil prices and said will fight the hardships off altogether like a nation. He said Pakistan is not situated on a separate planet away from the rest of the world and if ioil and gas prices go up then they will also surge in Pakistan as the country cannot be run on subsidies.
“A propaganda has been made on the basis of the increase in oil prices as if we are living on a separate planet away from the rest of the world. If oil and gas prices rise in the world, they will also be increased in Pakistan. The country cannot be run on subsides. If prices are up today, they will be down tomorrow.”
He further tweeted: “We will fight off hardships together like a nation. The economic adversities are temporary. We are earning historic profits in the fields of industry, agriculture and construction. The salaried class is facing difficulties. The private sector must raise its workers’ salaries. The best antidote to remove inflation is increase in income and employment.”
Tsunami of inflation
The government on Saturday announced a massive increase in the prices of all major petroleum products, citing soaring energy prices in the global markets. The price of petrol has been increased Rs10.49 per litre and high-speed diesel (HSD) went up by Rs12.44 per litre.
On Friday, the world oil prices exceeded $85 a barrel that was the highest rate since October 2018. Accordingly, petrol will now be sold at Rs137.79 per litre against the earlier price of Rs127.30 per litre. The price of HSD which is widely used in transport and agriculture sectors has been increased from Rs122.04 per litre to Rs 134.48 per litre.
The opposition parties have heavily criticised the incumbent government for a record level increase in the prices of petroleum products, calling it a “tsunami of inflation”.
Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said Prime Minister Imran Khan is “an enemy of the people” after the federal government increased the price of petrol to record level.
The PPP leader said the increase in the price of petroleum products a day after the rise in electricity tariff prices proves that “Imran Khan was an anti-people prime minister”.
“By bringing the price of petroleum products to the highest level in the history of the country, PTI has brought a tsunami of inflation,” he said. “By increasing the price of petrol by more than Rs10 per litre, the government is actually collecting the price of its incompetence from the people.”
Bilawal added that only a people-friendly government of the PPP could save the country from this turmoil. He also urged the masses to support him to get rid of the “tyrannical government” that was pushing Pakistan into the mire of inflation.
Mini-budget
PML-N President and Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif said PM Imran should spare the lives of the people instead of “bleeding them dry”.
Shehbaz termed the increase in prices as a continuation of the mini-budget. “After the recent 14% increase in the price of electricity, the bomb of petrol inflation is a continuation of the mini-budget which is evidence of the current government’s failures,” he said.
The PML-N president added that raising the price of petrol by more than Rs10 per litre was similar to taking the “being cursed by oppressed people”. Shehbaz added that the premier had completely failed in the service of the country and its people. “No matter what, such a person doesn’t have the right to cling to the seat of the prime minister.”
