KARACHI: Parliamentarians belonging to the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party and Muttahida Qaumi Movement have criticised the federal government’s move to increase the gas tariff across the country and demanded that the ‘unprecedented’ hike be withdrawn forthwith.

In a statement issued here on Monday, PPP senators Dr Kareem Khwaja, Gianchand and Ajiz Dhamra said that the hike in gas tariff would further overburdened the people, who were already under heavy pressure due to the imposition of direct and indirect taxes.

They said that the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) punished the poor people by increasing the gas tariff only for “recovering” Rs341 billion.

They said that federal government had borrowed over Rs80bn from the IMF and World Bank and the money was only spent on projects in Punjab while the people across the country had been punished for returning the loans for which the government lacked any workable plan such as to take steps for boosting up country’s export, lessening the import bill and promoting local industry.

The PPP senators said that country was facing multiple crises and the increase in gas tariff would create a state of uncertainty, unrest and agitation. “But, perhaps the government is in haste to implement the foreign agenda of weakening Pakistan from inside.”

They asked the government to immediately withdraw this unjust increase in gas tariff or else no political party would be able to keep the masses away from agitation and street protest.

Likewise, members of the National Assembly belonging to the MQM said in a statement that the recent hike in gas tariff was a clear failure of Ogra, which only wanted to hide its failures and corruption.

They said that it was beyond anyone’s understanding as to why the government was increasing the gas price when the country had sufficient gas reserves.

They said that the government should provide relief to the masses.

The MQM lawmakers demanded that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif take immediate action and withdraw the recent increase in the gas tariff.

Published in Dawn October 11th, 2016