National Assembly session: Opposition creates ruckus over fuel price hike

The opposition attacked the federal government and created a ruckus in the national assembly over a fuel price hike.

In protest against rising fuel (Petrol & Diesel) prices, parliamentarians displayed placards and chanted slogans against the government.

Opposition lawmakers later surrounded the speaker’s dice in protest and announced a boycott, after which the National Assembly session was adjourned indefinitely.

Note that, the government has enhanced the petrol prices by Rs4/litre after making adjustments in the sales tax and petroleum levy, a statement issued by the Finance Ministry said.

The new prices would be effective from October 1 for the next fortnight, it added.

Accordingly, petrol would be sold at Rs127.30/litre against its existing sale at Rs123.30/litre. The price of high-speed diesel has been increased by Rs2/litre to Rs122.04 from Rs120.04, kerosene by Rs7.05 to Rs99.31 from Rs92.26, whereas the price of light diesel has been hiked by Rs8.82/litre to Rs 99.51 from Rs90.69.

The statement also said that due to the increase in the petroleum prices in the international market and exchange rate variations in the last fortnight, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) had worked out the higher petroleum prices but the prime minister decided against the recommendations and passed on the minimum increase in the prices to the consumers.

“The government has absorbed the higher international pressure of prices through a reduction in petroleum levy and sales tax,” it added.

The petroleum prices in Pakistan were the cheapest in the region, it added.