Ever-increasing utility tariffs: Shehbaz slams proposed 35pc increase in gas prices

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) President and National Assembly Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif Saturday said that by increasing utility tariffs every other day, the PTI government was pushing the country towards a civil war.

He said that no amount of increase in tariffs would solve financial problems of the country because the core reason for the troubles of the economy was Imran government's corruption and incompetence.

He strongly condemned the proposed 35 per cent increase in gas tariff and demanded immediate withdrawal of the plan. He said tariff bombs were being dropped on people, as the government was fulfilling the conditions of the IMF budget. "The government shamelessly lied to the entire nation about presenting a budget without any fresh taxes. Every single word said by the PMLN has turned out true about the budget and financial policies of the disastrous Imran government,” Shehbaz said.

The opposition leader said people had no more financial strength to bear with any more taxes. Shehbaz said the PTI government raised the electricity tariff by Rs5 earlier this week, and the proposed gas tariff increase, in addition to 141 per cent hike earlier, would bring more miseries for masses. Imran should spare the nation and instead of committing mass murder of Pakistanis, he should step down, the opposition leader said.