HYDERABAD, July 31: Chairman, Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party, Dr Qadir Magsi criticised the government’s refusal to reduce the prices of petroleum products and asked it to come to the rescue of masses as price hike has left people in total disarray.

In a statement, he said that the government should provide relief to masses by withdrawing taxes on oil or providing subsidy whose effect should reach consumers.

He said the government was not providing relief to people, instead raised oil prices, while in international markets these had cooled down.

People were yet to be given the cooling effect of oil prices, he said.

He said that in the civilised world, governments are answerable to people while rulers of this country forget those who bring them into power. Once they reach the corridor of power, they consider the masses irrelevant.

He said that by refusing to provide relief to people the government had forfeited its right to be called the people’s government.

He said the PPP, before elections promised to change the system but the situation had worsened as now people were unable make both ends meet.

He said that nothing had changed after elections as President Pervez Musharraf continued to enjoy powers, judges were still on roads, and the MQM remained part of the coalition government.

Mumtaz Bhutto: Sindh National Front chief Mumtaz Bhutto has said that the PPP and its coalition partners have deviated from their earlier stand of initiating dialogues with militants in Fata and NWFP and the prime minister during his current US visit has indicated use of force in the areas.

In a press statement, Mr Bhutto said that it was like an announcement made in haste of placing ISI under the interior ministry and reverting the decision on next day.

He said the government enhanced the rate of CNG and after inflicting heavy losses to people confessed of committing a mistake.

“We will see either government chooses dialogue or use of force in the tribal areas after the return of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani’ he said.

He said US congress had not given a go ahead to President Bush’s announcement of giving annual aid to the tune of $1.5 billion to Pakistan and added it would be seen whether the prime minister was coming home with full or an empty bowel.