ISLAMABAD, July 21: Residents of the capital city have slated the highest ever hike in the fuel prices which, they said, was contrary to the government promises about stability in rising living cost.

They said the sharp increase in the prices of petrol/diesel and recent hike in the rate of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) had adversely affected their household budgets, compelling them to avoid using vehicles.

Sudden jump in the prices of fuel was being felt more seriously in Islamabad than any other city of the country because there is no public transport available in Islamabad and almost 99 per cent of the people use their own vehicles for routine travel.

The government on Monday increased the price of petrol by Rs10.97 per litre and diesel by Rs8.25 per litre, and now they are being sold in the market at Rs87 per litre and Rs56.50 per litre, respectively.

“The news of second time increase in the prices of fuel in the current month was quite shocking for me and my family, and nobody knows what to do now,” said a resident, Ali Zaidi.

He said the price of oil had declined in the international market, but fuel rates were still going up in the country.

Long queues of vehicles have become a common sight at all CNG filling stations while very few cars can be seen at petrol pumps.

Meanwhile, Islamabad High Court will hear a revised writ petition against the increase in the CNG prices here on Tuesday. The single bench of Justice Mohammad Munir Paracha will hear the plea filed by Ashfaque Mohammad Chaudhry, leader of the Pakistan People’s Movement.

Mr Chaudhry had pleaded that CNG was a local product and increase in its prices was causing great hardship to the people, who had already been hit hard by spiralling prices of various commodities.

He had prayed to the court to direct the government to bring down the CNG prices immediately.

All Pakistan CNG Association, Islamabad CNG Association, Oil and Gas Development Corporation (OGDC) and Secretary Ministry of Petroleum have been made respondents.

Meanwhile, another writ petition filed by the same person over the increase in petroleum prices would be returned to him with objections, the IHC registrar office said.

IHC Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Aslam last month rejected a similar petition filed by him regarding hike in petroleum prices.

Our Reporter from Pindi adds: Jamaat-i-Islami’s Rawalpindi chapter on Monday resented the recent surge in petroleum prices and termed it an inflation bomb.

In a statement, JI Rawalpindi chapter chief Dr Mohammad Kamal and General Secretary Shamsur Rehman Swati said the present government had let down the masses by unprecedented price hike and poor 100-day performance.

They said the increase would further burden the people, who were already finding it difficult to manage their household budgets.

The ruling coalition partners are busy in meetings in London and Dubai and are ignoring to solve the people’s genuine problems, they added.

They also lashed out at the government and said that it continued the financial policies of President Pervez Musharraf.