17 January 2005	Monday	06 Zilhaj 1425

KARACHI, Jan 16: Speakers at a demonstration on Saturday, criticizing the fixing of the prices of petroleum products on a fortnightly basis, have demanded that the prices be fixed for a longer time period.

Speaking at the demonstration organized by the Karachi Citizens Forum at the Press Club, they said that revision of the prices in fact meant an increase in the same, which they said had a chain reaction, and resulted in general price hike.

They said that it increased the inflation and the people who were already severely affected by the high prices faced more hardships, and as a result the number of suicides was increasing with the passage of time.

They also criticized the proposed privatization of the KESC, Wapda, etc and said that after the privatization of the utility, a private party on one hand would enhance the power tariff to curtail losses and on the other it would sack a large number of employees to cut down the expenses.

They said that the high power tariff would affect the domestic consumers and the industry alike, and the industry, rendering it unable to be competitive internationally.