Opposition blasts PTI govt for dropping ‘petrol bomb’ in the dead of night

The opposition parties in the country on Friday criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for “massively” increasing prices of petroleum products just two days after the premier’s announcement of the “biggest ever” relief package in Pakistan’s history.

The government increased the petrol price by Rs8.03 to Rs145.82 per litre, an all-time high, with immediate effect. The ministry of finance made the announcement late last night through a notification, according to which the government increased the price of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs8.14 per litre. The new price of HSD now stands at Rs142.62 per litre.

Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif criticised the premier for further burdening the nation with inflation.

“Yet another petrol bomb exploded on the masses in the dead of night. This is IK’s [PM Imran Khan] way of providing ‘relief’ after giving a long sermon yesterday. Unfortunately, every day dawns with horrible news for the people. This incompetent/corrupt PTI government and Pakistan cannot go together,” Sharif tweeted.

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Yet another petrol bomb exploded on the masses in the dead of night. This is IK’s way of providing “relief” after giving a long sermon yesterday. Unfortunately, everyday dawns with horrible news for the people. This incompetent/corrupt PTI govt & Pakistan can't go together!

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) November 5, 2021

Senior PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal said that the surge of more than Rs18 per litre in petrol and Rs20 per litre in diesel prices in two weeks would have devastating effects on the economy.

“A super tsunami of inflation will come. The government has been forced to make this haphazard increase as it has totally failed to stop a decline in the value of the rupee. This decline is the result of poor economic policies of the government,” he tweeted.

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دو ہفتہ میں پٹرول Rs 18 اور ڈیزل Rs 20 فی لیٹر سے زائد اضافے کے معیشت پہ تباہ کن اثرات ہونگے-مہنگائی کی سوپر سونامی آئیگی- حکومت اتنا بے ہنگم اضافہ کرنے پہ اس لئے مجبور ہوئی ہے چونکہ وہ روپیہ کی گراوٹ روکنے میں قطعا ناکام رہی ہے-یہ گراوٹ حکومت کی ناقص اقتصادی پالیسیوں کا نتیجہ ہے https://t.co/JWosN23VbY

— Ahsan Iqbal (@betterpakistan) November 4, 2021

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that his party protested in the National Assembly against the price hike.

16th Oct: Govt raises petrol prices by Rs. 10.5. Single largest increase. Ever.

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1st: PM says no more increase in petrol prices.

5th Nov, 1:30am: Govt increase petrol in the dead of night by Rs8

increase of almost 20rs in less than a month.

PPP protested in NA & Senate today

— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) November 5, 2021

Calling the PTI government tabahi sarkar (disastrous government), Senior Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Senator Sherry Rehman said, “In three years, it [government] has increased the price of petrol by Rs53 per litre.”

She said that with the increase in petrol prices, everything would become more expensive for the people now and demanded the government to take its decision back.

وزیراعظم پیٹرول کی قیمتیں بڑھا کر کہتے ہیں عوام کو رلیف دے رہے ہیں۔ وزیراعظم ریلیف دے نہیں، مانگ رہے تھے۔ پیٹرول کی قیمتوں میں اضافے سے ہر چیز مہنگی ہو گی، پہلے ہفتہ وار مہنگائی کی شرح 14.31 فیصد ہو چکی ہے۔ حکومت عوام پر رحم کرے اور تیل کی قیمتیں واپس لے۔ 2/2

— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) November 5, 2021

As Pakistanis bear the brunt of inflation, PM Imran on October 31 unveiled Pakistan’s “biggest relief package” to lessen the hardships of the inflation-hit nation.

Taking a dig at PM’s welfare programme, Rehman said, “The prime minister is giving relief to the people by increasing petrol prices. The prime minister was [actually] asking for relief and not providing relief. With a surge in petrol price, everything will become expensive. The first weekly inflation rate has reached 14.31%.”

“The government should have mercy on the people and take back its decision,” she added.

According to the Sindh Minister for Information and Labour and PPP leader Saeed Ghani said that the effects of PM’s relief package had started reaching the masses.

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سلیکٹڈ وزیراعظم عمران نیازی @ImranKhanPTI کے اعلان کے مطابق ریلیف پیکج کے اثرات عوام تک پہنچنا شروع ہوگئے۔
پیٹرول 03-8 روپے اضافے کے بعد 82-145 روپے
ڈیزل 14-8 روپے اضافے کے بعد 62-142 روپے
مٹی کا تیل 27-6 روپے اضافے کے بعد 53-116 روپے کا ہوگیا۔#TabahiKhan

— Senator Saeed Ghani (@SaeedGhani1) November 4, 2021

Meanwhile, PML-N MPA Sumera Komal submitted a resolution in the Punjab Assembly, rejecting the hike in petroleum product prices and demanding the government to reverse the decision.

On October 31, PM Imran had turned down a proposal by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) and the finance ministry for increasing the petrol price by Rs11.53/litre. However, earlier this week, in a televised address to the nation, he had also warned that “the government has no option but to increase the price in the future.”