Public rejects second hike in POL prices this month

Rawalpindi : The hike in rates of petroleum products, the second time in a month has started taking its toll on the lives of the common man who has to bear its brunt in the shape of rising prices of kitchen items and transportation.

The monthly budget of the people has been dented heavily thanks to the hike in prices of POL products on 1st of this month by Rs2.31/litre and on 15th by Rs3.2/litre which took the price of petrol from Rs104 per litre (December 31, 2020) to Rs109 per litre (January 15, 2021) within 15 days.

Rawalpindi-Islamabad local transporters have demanded to increase stop-to-stop fares by Rs10 threatening to go on strike if their demand is not met.

The long route transporters have also increased fares by Rs20 per ticket. The goods transporters have also increased their fares twice a month.

People are already buying 1-kilogram sugar at Rs95-100, milk at Rs120, mutton at Rs1000, beef at Rs650, rice at Rs200, tomato at Rs100, onion at Rs50, potato at Rs50, a 20-kilogram ‘atta’ bag at Rs860 to Rs1150, 1-kilogram ghee at Rs262, garlic at Rs250, ginger at Rs400, 1-kilogram tea pack at Rs910, red chili at Rs800, chicken at Rs170, and prices of all vegetable and pulses touching to the sky.

Muttahida Transport Welfare Association (MTWA) President Malik Mehboob said that transporters cannot run wagons and buses at this fare. “We have demanded an increase in stop-to-stop fares by Rs10 otherwise we will stop public transport,” he warned.

All Pakistan Traders Association (Punjab) President Sharjeel Mir strongly condemned the fresh hike in POL prices and warned to come on roads, if the government did not revert to the old prices.

All segments of the society including the common citizens, traders, labourers, farmers, and particularly government employees have vehemently rejected the two-time increase in POL prices.

They said that it was the worst time in the country's history when the government imposed heavy taxes in line with its agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which has badly ruined the living standard of a common man in the past two and a half years. The government is following the directions of IMF and imposing ever-increasing inflation over the public, they bemoaned.

All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA) President Haji Muhammad Irshad strongly protested against second time hike in POL prices in a month saying the government is taking revenge on public.

“Government is continuously telling lie and befooling innocent public in the country,” he denounced. Public and private sector employees are on roads to increase their salaries but the government is not ashamed of its steps, he said. He announced ‘sit-in’ against the government’s wrong policies in front of Parliament House on February 10 adding that this ‘dharna’ will continue for an indefinite period.