Sherry Rehman slams govt for raising power tariff, drugs prices

ISLAMABAD: PPP Parliamentary Leader in the Senate Sherry Rehman slammed the federal government for increasing prices of electricity and essential products at a time of high employment and extreme inflation.

“The government has been up to nothing but dropping one inflation bomb after the other on the people. The country is already struggling to recover from the devastating impacts of the coronavirus and the heavy rainfalls, which destroyed the livelihoods of many,” she said in a video message on Friday.

Senator Sherry Rehman said the increase in price of electricity is yet another blow to the business industry, which is already suffering losses as a result of lockdowns during the COVID-19 outbreak and again due to the devastating rainfall in the city. “It has caused losses of billions of rupees to the economy. Even the business community has expressed their reservations over this decision,” she added.

She said the country is already experiencing gas shortages and the federal government has now decided to increase prices of electricity and many essential products. She said across the world, governments’ are working hard to provide relief to their people while in Pakistan however, the federal government is burdening the poor and vulnerable.

Commenting on the recent price hike in medicine prices, Senator Sherry Rehman said recently, we witnessed a 260 percent price hike for 94 life-saving drugs. “All this is happening during a national health crisis. How can this government be so insensitive,” she questioned.

She said the federal government has bowed down to the medicine, sugar and wheat mafias, while there is no relief for the people affected by COVID-19. “This is not the first time the government has been quick to respond to the wishes of the wealthy class”, the Senator added.

Vice President PPPP, Senator Rehman all the price hikes the federal government is generously burdening the consumers with, will now end up affecting their ability to afford even two meals a day. “The PPP rejects this move,” he said adding that the government must work towards providing relief to the people, not the exact opposite.