Petrol price hike people’s economic murder: Opposition

ISLAMABAD: The opposition leaders have termed another increase in petrol prices the economic murder of people.

Criticising the government's decision to increase petroleum prices, Opposition leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif said that the PTI government was committing the "economic murder of the poor”.

"This incompetent and corrupt government has plunged the nation in the mire of inflation," he said, according to local media. The PMLN president said whenever petroleum prices increase in the international market, the government quickly reacts to it and increases prices in Pakistan also, but never bothers providing any relief to people when the international market witnessed a downward trend.

Shehbaz said the country was witnessing record inflation for the first time in history, while poverty and unemployment were also persistently increasing due to the policies of the government.

"It is the result of Imran Khan Niazi's and his government’s negligence and corruption," he said. Separately, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the impact of price hike would be directly felt by people. He termed increase in price of petrol by Rs3 per litre the economic murder of people.

He said that after the increase in electricity prices by more than Rs4 per unit, now the increase in prices of petroleum products was the economic murder of people. The only solution to get rid of inflation is to overthrow the Imran government, Bilawal added. He said that Imran Khan had mortgaged the country to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and now all decisions regarding Pakistan were being taken abroad.

The PPP chairman said petrol was expensive, electricity expensive, gas expensive, and people’s patience should not be tested further. He said now the long march of the PPP would be held for saving people from inflation and economic crisis.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, meanwhile, said that Imran Khan will have to face wrath of the people for the unprecedented inflation in the country from February 27.

“Enough is enough and the people would leave for Islamabad on February 27 from every nook and corner of the country to hold Imran Khan accountable for unprecedented inflation,” he said in a meeting with key personalities of the party, where he was also briefed about the preparations for the long march on Islamabad to be started from February 27.

Among the persons, who called on the PPP Chairman separately, were Anwar Saifullah Khan, member Central Executive Committee, Asma Arbab Alamgir, central deputy secretary Information, PPP, Syed Zahir Shah, PPP’s senior leader, Haji Dilbar Khan from district Diamer, engineer Naveed Iqbal, Nizam Din, Syed Imam Malik Shah and Sherullah.

Talking to the delegations, Bilawal said not only the electricity prices have been increased by Rs4 but the prices of petroleum have also been increased by more than Rs3, which has broken the backbone of the common man.

He said the PPP would begin the long march to save the people and country from inflation and economic crisis, adding that the inflation and unemployment must end now and it is time to get rid of Imran Khan. “The government has mortgaged the people to the IMF as Pakistan’s decisions are being made abroad,” he said.