LAHORE: Hundreds of rickshaw drivers of the city on Sunday took out a protest rally from Scheme Morr to Moon Market of Allama Iqbal Town where they staged a sit-in against the price hike of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

The protesters were carrying banners inscribed with slogans against the price hike of the LPG and increase in electricity tariff.

Speaking at the occasion, Awami Rickshaw Union President Majeed Ghauri warned of setting ablaze the rickshaws outside the Governor House if the government did not check the increasing rates of the LPG. He said they were earning their livelihood by using the LPG but the persistent increase in its price was causing hardships to both the rickshaw drivers and the passengers.

“We are now forced to buy the LPG at Rs170 per kg instead of earlier price of Rs110,” he said, adding that the increase in LPG prices had affected the earning of 75,000 auto rickshaw drivers in the provincial metropolis.

Mr Ghauri said price hike of other necessities had already caused mental torture for the commoner and amid the current inflation rate, it does not suit the democratic government to raise prices of petrol and gas.

The protesters said the price of LPG had increased significantly but the fares had not changed. They said the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), gas companies and dealers had made their life miserable by increasing the LPG price.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2014