PPP slams government over power price hike

LAHORE: Slamming the government over back-to-back price hikes, Pakistan Peoples Party vice president Sherry Rehman said, “Over the past three years, this government has been responsible for increasing electricity prices up to 40%. Now they have increased the rates by Rs1.68 per unit, while the Federal cabinet has also approved this price hike. Is anyone tearing electricity bills up in public jalsas now?”

The senior PPP leader added that moreover, since the last price hike two weeks ago, now there’s news that Ogra has suggested to increase the price of petrol by Rs5.90 per litre, and diesel by Rs9.75 per litre from October 16.

In the last three years, Rs30 increase has been seen in petrol prices. Does PTIMF even realise the impact of these back-to-back price hike bombs on people?” Sherry questioned.

She said, “Now the inflation rate stands at 9%. Wheat which was Rs740 for 20kgs is now being sold at Rs1150 while sugar is being sold at Rs110 per kg when it was actually Rs60 per kg. All this combined with inflation and unemployment is making life extremely difficult for the common man.

“Since August 2018, rupee has seen a devaluation of 40% as PKR has been devalued by Rs49 since 2018. Three years of the government has brought our economy to the ventilator. Is this what the PM meant when he said that inflation is temporary and that they are going to reduce it?” asked Senator Rehman.

Discussing the meeting with the IMF, she said, “It is very difficult to have any confidence in this government when debt has been raking up and has more than doubled since PPP’s time to a whopping Rs39.9 trillion. IMF conditions are to increase electricity tariffs and taxes despite existing high commodity prices.

“We have also gone to the IMF but have been transparent about it. PPP’s terms were always clear; we did not drive millions into poverty, homelessness and joblessness in the name of stabilisation goals. This government never took the parliament in confidence over their agreement with the IMF which has only resulted in a tsunami of unbearable utility and food staple price hikes,” concluded Ms Rehman.