LAHORE, Oct 9: Recent increase in petroleum and gas prices has been challenged in the Lahore High Court.

A consumers’ rights organisation challenged the increase by filing a writ petition and stated that the increase was a fraud on citizens.

Its counsel, Advocate Mateenul Haq Chaudhry, pleaded that prices of petrol and CNG were decreasing in the international market, but in Pakistan Ogra had increased the same.

The counsel said the increase in prices was unjustifiable as people were already suffering due to price hike. He said the 16 per cent sales tax levied on CNG was illegal and even violation of rules of Ogra. He requested the court to take notice of the increase in the prices and declare the action illegal.

NCA PRINCIPAL: The LHC chief justice on Tuesday adjourned hearing of a petition seeking appointment of National College of Arts principal and directed counsel for both sides to come up with final arguments on Oct 29.

Prof Zafar Iqbal filed the petition and pleaded that the post of the principal had been lying vacant since July 2010, but no appointment had been made so far. He said since the retirement of Ms Nazish Attaullah, the college was being run by an acting principal.

The petitioner pointed out that three acting principals had served the college since the retirement of Ms Attaullah. He said the prime minister was NCA chairman by virtue of relevant laws and fully authorised to appoint the principal, but he was not showing interest in filling the vacancy.

He said the process of appointing the principal was initiated many times in the past but never completed.

He prayed that the authorities be directed to fill the vacant post at the earliest.—Staff Reporter