With a falling rupee and international prices going up, Pakistan government raised the price of petroleum products, drawing sharp criticism from the opposition.
The price of petrol has gone up by Rs 4.64 per litre, from Rs 104.50 to Rs 109.14 per litre.
Following directives from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the government made a partial increase of Rs 2.5 per litre in the price of high speed diesel (HSD), which is mostly used in the agriculture and transport sectors.
The summary sent to the prime minister had proposed an increase of Rs 3.57 per litre in the HSD price.
Prices of Kerosene and diesel have also gone up.
Meanwhile Petrol prices in India were hiked yesterday by a steep Rs 2.35 per litre, the sixth increase in rates in three months, and diesel by 50 paise per litre on falling rupee and firming international oil prices.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan has said hike in prices is "shameful".
"It was failure of the government that it could not enhance the tax net, adding the government was increasing oil prices every month to meet its expenditures," he said.
Khan vowed to protest both inside and outside the parliament against the hike.
The spokesman of the federal government and Information Minister Senator Pervaiz Rashid has said that the economic policies of the incumbent government will bring in stability in the prices of commodities.
Rejecting criticism on rise in prices of petroleum products he said those making criticism should give a practicable solution and government will implement it.
He said that hike in petroleum products' prices is linked with the International markets.
"Government is giving Rs 171 billion subsidy on electricity. Had the previous governments focused on economy this situation would not have occurred," he said.
PML-N government's policies will enhance purchasing power of the masses, he added.
Comments
0 comment