Now it is dawning upon the country and also the new government that simply the change of guard did not solve any problems for anybody, especially the most difficult ones, like high prices, that led to the shameful collapse of the previous administration. PM Shahbaz Sharif now faces the daunting task of either raising fuel prices, in one fell sweep, by Rs120 per litre (more than 83pc), or keeping them frozen, rolling out massive subsidies, and hoping that the international market will turn before the country is completely bankrupt. Expensive oil is always a big problem for net importers like Pakistan, especially in times of political upheaval. But this time the problem is made much worse by PTI’s controversial decision to freeze prices all the way to the next budget. Since that decision was taken only a few days after raising prices, and owed more to political compulsions than any sudden regard for the people’s wallets, it’s proving a little difficult to unwind as well; and understandably so. It also adds weight to the argument that PTI might have understood by that time that it might not be around for the next budget. So not only did it not bother about little things like balancing price with demand and supply, it also probably thought that it would be a great idea to leave this puzzle for the next administration to solve. And that time has now come. You can’t expect a new administration, especially one that has come to power in these circumstances, to jack up oil prices by Rs120 per litre as one of its first official acts, because it would no doubt trigger a mass public revolt that would play into the hands of the previous administration and lead to that much more chaos in the county. And there isn’t enough in the kitty to extend subsidies for ever, especially if the IMF program is to be brought back on track. The new administration truly faces the devil’s choice; nothing less. *