On Saturday (today), Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) president Maulana Fazlur Rehman has called on a meeting of the PDM leadership in an emergency to talk about the hike in petrol price, inflation and other issues of national importance. Earlier, the government had increased the price of petrol by Rs8.03 per litre, a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan had warned the nation that fuel prices would have to undergo an increase. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) leader Hafiz Hamdullah, sharing the meeting’s agenda, asserted that the Opposition alliance will discuss its strategy for the joint session of the Parliament in the meeting. Other issues that will be discussed by the PDM leadership include a hike in petrol prices, the surging inflation and the alliance’s strategy for anti-government protests. Meanwhile, the government has summoned a joint session of the Parliament on November 10, so that 18 bills can be passed. These bills are related to granting overseas Pakistanis the right to vote, e-voting and the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs). Shehbaz, Bilawal discuss political situation On Friday, PML-N President and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif telephoned PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to talk about the emerging political situation in the country, Daily Times reported. Apart from discussing the political issues, the two top leaders also deliberated upon the various problems being faced by the public after the worst price hike in the country. Shehbaz and Bilawal also hoped to see eye to eye on adopting a joint strategy by the opposition parties in the parliament. Meanwhile, Bilawal maintained that the people were in pain due to the ‘lollypop’ of relief given by Imran Khan. Every passing day of the ‘selected’ government is increasing people’s problems, he added. The spokesperson of the Ministry of Finance, Muzzammil Aslam, had tweeted about the hike in petroleum prices, clarifying that the government was only collecting 1.43% under the sales tax head with the new prices in place. He had stated that if the government collected the full 17% in sales tax, the price of petrol per litre would surge past Rs160 per litre. “If an additional Rs30 petroleum levy was charged then the price of petrol would surge to Rs180 per litre. The government did not collect Rs35 per litre [to provide relief to the masses],” he had tweeted.