KARACHI, Jan 1: The fresh announcement about increase in petroleum prices has been strongly deplored by people from every walk of life. Political parties have also accused the government of deliberately plunging the country into a deep crisis which is bound to undermine its ideological moorings.

The Pakistan People's Party deplored that the hike was effected barely two weeks after a similar move.

In a press statement, PPP leaders Taj Haider, Syed Khursheed Shah, Manzoor Hussain Wassan and Nawab Yousuf Talpur maintained that it was a pity that the government was not paying any heed to the warnings about galloping inflation contained in the quarterly report of the State Bank.

The report, referring to the rising inflation rate which has reached almost 10 per cent over the last quarter, had warned that any increase in fuel prices would give rise to a new inflationary cycle, they recalled.

The PPP leaders pointed out that the government had increased fuel prices not once but twice in the last fortnight at a time when the international oil prices had gone down substantially and a downward trend still prevailed.

They appealed to people to come together on a united democratic platform to usher in a democratic and constitutional rule and do away with military takeovers for good.

Vice-President of the Sindh PML-N Mr Ali Akbar said that the frequent price hike was reflective of the government's failure over the past five years in resolving the problems being faced by people. He accused the rulers of compounding the problems through price increases, retrenchment and unemployment which had forced many people to commit suicide.

He said that the government's polices had broken the back of the common man, adding that the benefits of the $12 billion had not trickled down to masses.