ISLAMABAD: The All Pakistan Restaurants Association has rejected the 74pc increase in gas prices and termed this as a “grave injustice”.

The All Rawalpindi Restaurants Association and Hotels and Bakers Association in a joint meeting held on Sunday said that this increase in gas prices would add to inflation.

President of the Joint Action Committee of All Pakistan Restaurants Association Chaudhry Mohammad Farooq said that the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has unilaterally notified 74pc increase in the prices of gas and the worst thing is that the distribution companies have been allowed to implement this unjust increase retrospectively.

“How can a consumer pay an extra amount for the gas consumed 6 months ago?” he said and criticised the management of Sui Southern Gas Pipelines Limited for making fake promises of addressing the issues of eateries.

He requested Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Minister for Petroleum Dr Mussadiq Malik to take notice of Ogra’s decision and withdrawal of the increase in gas tariff.

He said that countrywide protests would be held if this decision was not taken back.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2023