PESHAWAR, May 26: Awami National Party Senator Ilyas Ahmed Bilour has said that petroleum companies and Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) are looting people with both hands to earn billions of rupees and asked the government to take notice of their exploitative policies.

He said that prices of petroleum products were at a record high in the country despite their decline in international market. Mr Bilour said this in a press statement issued by Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) on Saturday. Mr Bilour, who is also a leader of Businessmen Forum, urged Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani to take notice of the illegal practices of oil companies and save people of the country from their exploitative tactics.

The senator suggested the government to decrease petroleum prices by Rs8 to Rs10 per litre to provide relief to people and ensure that their rights were protected. He said that he would raise voice for the rights of people and soon present a report against oil companies and Orga in the Senate.

He said that POL prices had come down in international market from $105 to $90 per barrel, but prices were yet to be reversed in Pakistan accordingly.

Mr Bilour asked the petroleum companies to refrain from exploitation of Pakistani people, claiming that a report had already been prepared to expose those behind this practice. He said that the government should bring down petroleum prices, which were hiked on the pretext of rise in oil prices in international market.

He suggested that the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources should handle affairs of the Ogra and a tangible strategy be devised to end monopoly of the petroleum companies.