LAHORE: The recent increase in the prices of petroleum products was challenged before the Lahore High Court on Saturday through a civil miscellaneous application in a pending appeal on the same matter.

Judicial Activism Panel chairman Advocate Azhar Siddique filed the application pleading that the government increased the prices of the petroleum products by imposing levy despite no increase in the international market. He contended that the government enhanced petroleum levy only to meet the target of revenue collection promised with the International Monetary Fund.

He said the government increased the prices despite the fact that a matter against the previous increase was still pending with the court. The lawyer asked the court to set aside the increase in the petroleum levy.

In the already pending matter, a division bench had on last hearing directed the federal government to furnish a mechanism in fashion to fix prices of petroleum products in the country.

The petitioner argued that imposition of taxes on essential commodities was against the letter and spirit of the Constitution. He said the increase in the prices of the petroleum products amounted to exploitation of the citizens.

The bench is likely to take up the fresh application on Monday.

The government on Friday increased the prices of petroleum products by Rs4 per litre for the next fortnight with petrol reaching Rs144.82 and diesel Rs141.62 per litre.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2022