KARACHI: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari comes to the boil over the government’s decision to raise the price of petrol by Rs5. He said that the government was fooling people.
“The entire nation is crying due to record inflation and Khan Sahib is fiddling,” said the PPP chairman.
While rebuking the PTI government and their fake promises with the nation before coming to the power, Bilawal Bhutto asked, “Khan Sahib! When will the good days come for the nation?”
Petrol prices in Pakistan still lowest in the region
On the other hand, Fawad Chaudhry, the Minister for Information and Broadcasting, withstood the hike saying oil prices in Pakistan are still the lowest in the region.
On Thursday, the information minister said in a series of tweets that the country imports oil, hence, its prices will go high when these increase in the world market. This is the basic rule for the rest of the imports.
He said the real achievement is that the income of 75% of our population has also increased significantly. He added that our purchasing power is better than that of India.
While acknowledging the troubles of the salaried class, he said our 60% of the population is engaged with the agriculture sector which has received an additional income of Rs11,00 billion rupees. He said the income of millions of people associated with construction and industries has also increased.
Rs5 increase in the petrol prices
On Wednesday, the government had announced a Rs5 increase in the price of petrol “owing to the fluctuations in petroleum prices in the international market and exchange rate variation”. Petrol, with the Rs5 increase, will cost Rs123.30 per litre, whereas high-speed diesel, with an increase of Rs5.01, will cost Rs120.04 per litre.
According to a notification by the Finance Division, besides petrol, an increase in other petroleum products will also be enforced starting September 16. In addition, kerosene will cost Rs5.46 more and will thus be priced at Rs96.26 per litre.