Govt urged to withdraw upsurge in POL prices
By Saad Saud

ISLAMABAD—The residents of twin cities Rawalpindi-Islamabad have expressed their resentments over the fresh upsurge in petroleum prices and termed it a mini budget.
People especially from the salaried and working class have demanded of the government to withdraw the fresh hike in Petrol.
They said that fresh upsurge in petroleum prices are very disturbing and this would further burden them under the price hike because it is difficult to manage their household budgets.
Zafar Bhutta, a government employee, said that the unprecedented and uncalled-for price increase would affect quality of common man’s life and increase the costs of production in agriculture, transport and industry.
He complained that Wheat flour, vegetables, beef, mutton, chicken and other eatable items are being sold at ‘revised rates’, and the transporters, taxicabs and rickshaw drivers are charging more, contending the petrol prices have increased.
He feared the prices of daily commodities would further shoot up before holy month of Ramazan. He said that the government is boasting of economic turnaround but its fruits have yet to trickle down to the common man whose ‘economic back’ has already been broken by the ever-rising inflation.
He questioned whether the government is trying to kill masses economically through the unjustified hike.
Now, the transporters would be justified in raising in fares on inter-city routes, he said.
“Instead of increasing petroleum prices, rulers should cut their own expenditures through austerity”, he said.
Badar Ahmed, another citizen, maintained that the POL price hike has exposed hollow claims of the government for stabilizing economy. He claimed that it was difficult to manage household budget and the cost of transportation.
“The poor are getting poorer and the rich becoming richer and each day, more people are committing suicides due to increasing poverty and unemployment”. But, he said, the government seems to pay no heed to the serious socio-economic problems facing masses. He suggested the government should consult people’s representatives before changing the petroleum products’ prices in future.
Chaudhry Amin, a Rawalpindi trader, said the increased petroleum prices would increase the cost of production of the exportable items and would have a negative bearing on country’s exports. He feared that the situation might render unable the exporters to compete with other countries.
He said that this would negatively affect transportation charges of import-export cargo, electricity fuel adjustment charges, maintenance cost and the production expenses.