ISLAMABAD: All Pakistan Anjuman-i-Tajiran President Ajmal Baloch on Saturday said increase in electricity, gas and petrol tariff and rupees devaluation and increased load shedding were destroying the social fabric of the society.

Addressing a press conference here at the National Press Club along with representatives of traders, Mr Baloch said: “We are very close to the society and our economic cycle is similar to that of common man.”

He said the business community had been disturbed by the increase in prices of electricity, gas, petrol and dollar and increasing load shedding.

“Unfortunately, the new government has turned out to be more inexperienced than the previous one,” the traders leader said.

He alleged that the bureaucracy was depriving citizens of their livelihood.

“The government has to withdraw the free fuel facility enjoyed by the bureaucrats who are taking Rs5 billion salaries, and their children were studying abroad but they are not allowing the children of the poor to study even in government schools, because of low education budget.”

He said the government had to withdraw the recent hike in utilities charges, and called upon the Chief Justice to stop the provision of free petrol to all government employees.

He referred to the claims of previous PTI government that cheap oil should be bought from Russia and said: “The nation should be informed about the availability of cheap petrol. What is the cost of buying it? What is restricting the country from buying cheaper oil?”

The traders highlighted that the relevant officers were using pressure tactics to make items cheaper at the retail level.

“How can shopkeepers sell cheap potatoes and onions, milk or bread or anything when everything has become expensive as traders were paying the most expensive electricity tariff.

The members of the business community said that the government should sit down with the traders and stakeholders and resolve the situation that the country was facing.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2022