Hike in POL prices: Domestic budgets take a heavy dent

Islamabad : The recent hike in prices of petroleum products has broken the back of a common man as it has cast a blow to their monthly budgets and they have demanded of the government to revoke its decision forthwith threatening of coming onto streets to mark their protest.

Meanwhile, the long routes transporters have also increased Rs50 per ticket and goods transporters increased fares by 5 to 10 per cent here on Friday.

The government has increased the prices of petrol by Rs5.40 per litre and that of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs2.54 per litre.

The local transporters have warned and demanded that stop-to-stop should be increased up Rs15 otherwise they will go on strike for an indefinite period from July 20.

District Regional Transport Authority (DRTA) Secretary Muhammad Rashid Ali said that they could not increase local transporters fares. “Punjab Transport Authority (PTA) can increase the fares of local transporters,” he said. He said that local transporters have filed an application to increase fares after new POL prices.

All segments of the society including the common citizens, traders, labourers, farmers, and particularly government employees have vehemently rejected 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 ruined the living standard of a common man in the past three years. The government is following the directions of IMF and imposing ever-increasing inflation over the public, they bemoaned.

The monthly budget of the people has been dented heavily as prices of ghee cooking oil have been increased by Rs15 to Rs40 per kilogram. People are already buying 1-kilogram sugar at Rs110, milk at Rs130, mutton at Rs1300, beef at Rs650, rice at Rs200, tomato at Rs100, onion at Rs50, potato at Rs50, a 20-kilogram ‘atta’ bag at Rs1150, 1-kilogram ghee at Rs270 to Rs340, garlic at Rs250, ginger at Rs600, 1-kilogram tea pack at Rs910, red chili at Rs400 and prices of all vegetable and pulses touching to the sky.

All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA) President Haji Irshad strongly protested against hike in POL prices saying the government is taking revenge on public. He has demanded of the government to take back its decision otherwise people will come on roads.

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. “Is this the change Imran Khan had claimed when a poor man can hardly afford three times meal in the country,” he strongly denounced.