LAHORE, March 16: The second-time raise in the petroleum prices in a month has been criticised by various political parties and transporters who apprehend it will further push up the cost of living for the ordinary people.
Pakistan Peoples Party’s Punjab president Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi and secretary general Ghulam Abbas have condemned the second upward revision of petroleum prices by the caretaker government during the current month and described it as a continuation of the `anti-people policies of Musharraf regime’.
Criticising the new increase in POL prices in a statement issued here on Sunday, the PPP office-bearers alleged the caretakers were being dictated by their predecessors, Pakistan Muslim League (Q), who wanted to create problems for the coming government.
They said the PML-Q had been rejected by the people in the general elections for failing to check the increase in prices of essential commodities.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Punjab, leaders Shabbir Sial and Imran Qureshi said the second-time increase in the POL prices within a month was a proof of the incompetence of the caretaker regime.
The rulers, they said, could have avoided the increase in prices by reducing the heavy taxes on POL products but they opted for the raise for creating unrest among the people.
Awami Qiadat Party Information Secretary Sabir Awan said the increase in POL prices by the caretaker government was in line with its policy of creating problems for the new government.
The prices had been deliberately increased only a day before the oath-taking of the newly-elected National Assembly members to embarrass them, they alleged.
The Pakistan Transport Workers Federation president Rafiq Qureshi and secretary general Haji Muhammad Saeed said the increase in POL prices would result in hike in prices of all the essential commodities. Private power companies would also demand an increase in electricity rates which would trigger increase in prices of industrial products, they added. They proposed import of oil from Iran to facilitate reduction in prices.