ISLAMABAD, April 14: The oil prices should be brought to the 1999 rates, as the crude oil price has come down from US$37 per barrel to US$24 per barrel, said the information secretary of PML-N, Siddiqul Farooq, on Sunday.

He said that the government was using petroleum products to increase its revenue without realizing its impact on the lives of people.

He said last year, the government collected Rs29 billion and now the reports suggested that the government was aiming at Rs45 billion.

He said increase in the POL prices would have drastic effects on the lives of people, specially the agriculture would be hit hard due to increase in the price of diesel.—Our Staff Reporter