Opposition lashes out at PM over hike in oil, power prices
PML-N and PPP vow to take to the streets against inflation; Shahbaz terms recent hike in petrol ‘mini-budget;’ finance minister says Imran focusing on bringing about economic reforms
The multiple party opposition alliance, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), held its power show in Faisalabad where its top leaders including Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Maryam Nawaz scoffed at Prime Minister Imran Khan for his policies.
While flexing muscles to kick off protests from the federal capital against the government over unbridled inflation and hike in petroleum and electricity prices, the opposition demanded immediate withdrawal of unprecedented increase in petroleum prices.
The two mainstream opposition parties Pakistan Muslim League-nawaz (PMLN) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) vowed to take to the streets against the price hike but did not give any date for the protest.
The government on Saturday made highestever increase in petroleum prices in one go as it raised the price of petrol and highspeed diesel by Rs10.49 and Rs12.44 per litre, respectively.
Terming it a “continuation of the minibudgets,” PML-N president and leader of the opposition in the National Assembly (NA) Shahbaz Sharif lashed out at the government for the petrol price hike and the recent 14 per cent increase in electricity prices.
“One mini-budget ater another is a telling proof of the economic failures of the PTI government,” he said.
He demanded that the PM resign instead of crushing people to death with inflation.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that if the people of Punjab rise up, the whole country will be encouraged and the path of revolution will be paved. The PDM will go ahead and put an end to this puppet government. Now we will constantly be on the streets and will not leave the nation alone.
In Faisalabad rally, Maryam told the public that the premier was maligning institutions for personal gains, and not on any principled stance. She said deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif had always taken a stand against state institutions for the beterment of Pakistan unlike Imran.
She said the prime minister had made a mockery of the country’s armed forces in the entire word “for the sake of one person.”
Maryam said postings and transfers in the military were not being done by the Prime Minister’s Office or any other institution but by “spirits and ghosts.”
Lashing out at the government for rising inflation and the latest hike in the petroleum products, she said Imran used to say when flour becomes expensive, when sugar prices rise, when rates of electricity and petrol rise, know that your prime minister is a thief.
She said in Sharif’s tenure as prime minister, sugar was Rs50 per kg, and now ater three years, it had crossed Rs120 per kg while electricity prices had shot up from Rs10-11 per unit to Rs25 per unit. So who is the thief then? She said that Nawaz Sharif has let “everything in the hands of Allah the Almighty.”
Maryam said that Imran has failed to fulfill even a single promise. She said that inflation is bound to increase and the rulers plan to increase prices further as if they are doing noble work. Instead of providing relief to the people, they are told to be patient.
Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat
Tarin said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will validate data and statistics on power gas tariffs and tax collection. He was addressing a seminar at the embassy of Pakistan in Washington where he shared details of his meeting with the IMF director.
We are here to finalise our maters with the IMF, he said. We have told the IMF to validate the data we have shared with them. The minister said that Pakistan had reached an agreement with Independent Power Producers (IPPS) the details of which will be announced in a couple of days. Tarin said the government had achieved its growth targets in various sectors and added that it had provided relevant details to the IMF. Tarin said his meeting with IMF Director Kristalina Georgieva was a cordial and very positive one. The minister said Imran and his government was focused on bringing about economic reforms.
Pakistan has undertaken sincere efforts to being about economic reforms, he said. The IMF director appreciated Pakistan’s progress in implementing its programme.