GUJRANWALA, Jan 2: People belonging to various sections of society, including politicians, protested against the increase in gas tariff and termed it a government’s gift of price hike on the eve of the new year.

Gujranwala Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Akhlaq Ahmad Butt said that prices of every commodity would increase after the gas tariff hike.

Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal MNA Qazi Hamidullah said that the government was fleecing the people on various pretexts as frequent raising of POL and gas prices was nothing but mini budgets.

Former federal minister Ghulam Dastagir Khan said that now the people were being deprived of certain basic necessities as a result of periodical hike in gas and power tariffs.

Former provincial education minister Barrister Usman Ibrahim also expressed his concern over the recent increase in gas prices.

Housewives said they were already under a financial crisis and the recent increase in gas prices would further squeeze their resources.

They called upon President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to withdraw the increase in gas tariff immediately.

LOOTED: Armed robbers on Monday deprived 50 passengers of two wagons of cash, jewellery, mobile phones and other valuables and manhandled several people on resistance on Jora Engineering College Road, Wazirabad.

While Ghakkhar town and Wazirabad police continued their debate over the jurisdiction issue.

According to reports reaching here, two wagons were on its way from Jora to Ghakkhar town. Near Jora College Road, four highwaymen riding a car intercepted the two vehicles. At pistol point, outlaws snatched cash, jewellery, mobile phones and other precious articles from passengers and escaped.

BOOKED: Nine shopkeepers running illegal oil agencies in Wahando were booked on Monday.

Reports said the district administration had imposed a ban on running of oil agencies in remote areas without permit.

On complaints, a police team led by a judicial magistrate raided these shops, but the shopkeepers managed to escape from the scene.