LAHORE, Jan 2: National Labour Federation president Mirajuddin has said the government is forcing people to commit suicides by raising the prices of utilities.

Speaking at a meeting of the zonal trade unions here on Monday, he said oil companies had been fleecing the people for a long time by raising prices of POL products despite a decrease in the international market. Gas price had now been increased by the government to add to the miseries of the common run of the people, he said.

He advised the government to desist from testing the tolerance level of the people by a continuous increase in the cost of utilities and withdraw unjustified increase in gas and POL prices.