Shehbaz Sharif criticises fuel price hike

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LONDON: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)President and Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif criticised the proposed price hike by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) on Saturday.

The PML-N leader said, the Rs9 increase in the price of petrol is inhuman and that increasing the prices before the month of Ramazan is an injustice to the public.

“The government has shown its incompetence and placed the burden of it on the public. Those who keep speaking about the State of Median did not even consider about the month of Ramazan,” Shehbaz said.

They have burdened the public in the month of blessings, he added

Shehbaz further said, “Because of this incompetent government, the running of the household of the poor, businesses and the governance of the country has come to a halt. This is a failed attempt by the government to cover up the Rs450 billion deficit.’

The Economic Coordination Committee of the federal cabinet on Friday approved an increase Rs9 per litre in the price of petrol after the prime minister asked it to revise a proposal by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) to raise petrol prices by over 14 per cent.

The prices of petrol and diesel are already at their highest level since the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government came into power after the party won general elections in July 2018.

Last month, the government increased the per litre price of petrol and high-speed diesel by Rs6 to Rs98.89 and Rs117.43 respectively, and of light speed diesel and kerosene oil by Rs3 to Rs80.54 and Rs89.31 per litre respectively.