BAHAWALPUR, Dec 1: Transporters and the general public have given vent to their anguish over further rise in the prices of petroleum products.
Divisional transport federation president Chaudhry Suhail Ashraf Warraich said the abrupt jump in the prices after a fortnight would add to the difficulties of transporters, forcing them to increase their fares on inter-district routes.
The general public expressed the view that they were already hit hard by the price hike of essential commodities while the successive raise in petrol prices would further increase their sufferings.
They demanded that the unilateral increase in petroleum prices should be withdrawn otherwise people would be constrained to launch a protest drive against the government.
GUJRANWALA: The people belonging to different segments of society, including the business community, expressed their resentment over an increase in petroleum product prices.
Speaking at a meeting held here on Monday, the participants including industrialists and Markazi Anjuman Tajran office bearers, condemned the government for raising petroleum prices on almost after every fortnight.
They said, earlier, the government had offered a reduction in the power tariff by 4.42 paisa per unit which was nothing more than a mockery of the people.
They said the raise in the prices of petroleum products had increased the prices of every necessary commodity, making lives of the people more difficult.
The speakers deplored that the government had failed miserably in providing better facilities to the business community and farmers despite making tall claims.
SIALKOT: The business community has uttered its grave concern over the recent increase in the POL prices.
These views were expressed in a joint statement issued by SCCI president Tahir Majeed Kapur, PHMA chief (North Zone) Arshad Javaid Sandal, PSGMEA chief Muhammad Younas, PGMEA chairman Shaikh Muhammad Yaqub, PRGMEA’s Maj Muhammad Afzal (retired) and Sialkot Markazi Anjuman Tajran chief Shaikh Abdul Rehman.
They said the regular increase in POL prices had raised the cost of production of exportable items, making it very hard for the exporters to compete with India, Taiwan, China and Thailand in the international market.
They said such inadequate steps of the government would ultimately result in the sharp decline of exports because the foreign customers were not ready to buy expensive items.
They urged the government to withdraw the decision of recent hike in POL prices as it would be harmful to the national exchequer.
TOBA TEK SINGH: Political leaders criticized the raise in prices of the petroleum products through separate press statements issued here on Monday.
Former PML-N MNA Hamza said that instead of giving relief to the general public the government was crushing them through price hike in petroleum products.
Pakistan Kissan Committee president Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad said the increase in diesel price was announced at a time when farmers were busy in sowing the wheat crop. The additional expenditure on diesel used in tractors and tubewells by farmers would be a great burden on them.
He demanded that the government should immediately withdraw the raise in diesel price.
PPPP city secretary-general Rana Khalid Mahmood also condemned the hike in the prices of petroleum products.