SUKKUR, March 5 Traders of the city have expressed concern over the announcement made by the prime minister's advisor on finance, Shaukat Tarin, about proposed increase in power tariff from April and said that it would be an anti-people and anti-trader decision.

Speaking at a meeting of the Sukkur Small Traders Association, Haji Mohammad Haroon Memon, Sarwar Latif and others said that on the one hand the government was talking about providing relief to the people and, on the other, it was increasing gas and power tariff almost every month on one pretext or the other.

They said that power tariff was already much higher and further increase would increase inflation, which would ultimately result into price hike, unemployment and economic crisis.

They demanded of the government to arrange payment of dues of billions of rupees, owed by the government departments to the Wapda.

They warned to move a court of law if the government increased power tariff in April.

They said that petroleum prices were constantly declining in the international market but the government was not passing on its benefit to the people.

They demanded of the government to reduce the prices of petroleum products.