Rise in POL prices add to consumers’ miseries
By Khalid Amin

ISLAMABAD—The upward revision of POL prices and electricity tariff has resulted into financial and social burden for general consumers as well as trade and industry.
This was stated by Dr. Talib Lashari, Executive Coordinator of TheNetwork for Consumer Protection in Pakistan while speaking at Radio Voice of America. Dr. Talib Lashari while assessing the sudden but expected raise of petroleum prices pointed out that a comprehensive package of economic reform is required rather than piecemeal actions.
Dr, Lashari added that the rise in POL prices and electricity tariff is directly affecting the prices of other basic commodities all over the country. He opined that this will increase poverty which leads to health problems that further accelerates non-productivity and this vicious cycle slows down economic development.
He further stated that such abrupt decisions by the caretaker government are result of lack of governance. According to a recent study the women have reduced their health expenditures in order to buy food items for their children. Dr. Lashari also said that the economy seems in a shock period, which led to increase in prices. Dr. Talib Lashari demanded the government to reduce the non-development expenditure and other related steps rather than increasing prices and burdening consumers.