Rabbani slams govt for raising petroleum prices

ISLAMABAD: Former Senate chairman Mian Raza Rabbani Saturday slammed the government for increasing the petroleum prices and said the people will not be able to free themselves from the yoke of increasing prices, while the crony capitalists loot the national wealth, in the form of sugar, oil, construction mafias.

“As if this was not enough, the withdrawal of subsidies from the Utility Stores on ghee, flour and sugar have broken the back of the common man,” he said while condemning the government for rise in petroleum prices in the country.

Raza Rabbani said according to the agreement document released by the IMF, the government has agreed to increase the petroleum levy on oil products to the maximum level of Rs30/- to collect Rs510 billion this year and Rs607 billion next year. He said since the IMF-PTI budget was passed, this is the third increase in petroleum prices in one month, this increase is condemned.

The former chairman senate said in the first half of July, 2021, the government had increased the petrol price Rs2 per litre, diesel by Rs1.44 per litre and Kerosene by Rs3.86 per litre.

In the middle of July, 2021, he said the government had increased petrol prices by Rs5.40 per litre, diesel by Rs2.54 and Kerosene by Rs1.39 per litre. “And now in the end of July, 2021 petrol will be sold at Rs119.80 per litre and Kerosene at Rs87.49 per litre,” he said.

Rabbani said after the approval of the Federal Cabinet on the withdrawal of subsidy the price of flour increased by Rs7 per kg, sugar by Rs17 per kg and ghee/cooking oil by Rs90 per kg.

He said the recent increase in petroleum prices will have a snow ball effect as transport fares and vegetable prices will register a further increase.