Opposition slams increase in petroleum price

Lahore: Opposition leaders including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Shehbaz Sharif on Monday condemned the federal government over its decision to increase the prices of all petroleum products by up to 6.45% in the month of April. Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif in a Tweet called for the government to take back the decision under which petrol and diesel prices were increased by Rs.6 per litre. He said the ‘tsunami of inflation’ has made life extremely difficult for the Pakistani nation. Shehbaz further questioned, “Why do Imran Khan’s hands not tremble.” Pakistan People’s Party Senator Sherry Rehman also criticized the government’s decision and said: “Petrol/diesel/electricity prices skyrocket; meteoric rise in gas bills cripples 90 pc of Pakistan; 33 pc devaluation of rupee, hike in central bank’s policy rate by 450 points.” Sindh Chief Minister’s adviser Murtaza Wahab also took to Twitter to slam the decision. “Prime minister had told the nation of good news in three weeks. It was rumored that oil has been found along the coast of Karachi. People were excited until were informed that petrol price has been increased by Rs 6. But I must say our PM is honest, good looking and he won the world cup,” Wahab tweeted. The federal government on Sunday increased the prices of petroleum, oil and lubricants, with petrol and diesel going up by Rs6 per litre. The new price of petrol will now be Rs98.89 per litre while the price of high speed diesel will be Rs117.43 per litre. Similarly, the prices of light diesel oil and kerosene oil went up by Rs3 per litre each, taking them to Rs80.54 and Rs89.31 per litre, respectively.