Petrol price hike: Netizens get creative with alternatives for transport

As the price of petroleum products rises to unprecedented highs, internet users are responding with memes that are both humorous and insightful.

Finance Minister Miftah Ismail announced Thursday a massive hike in the price of petroleum products after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) emphasised abolishing the subsidies on commodities.

In a press conference, the finance minister said the government has decided to hike the price of petrol, diesel, kerosene oil, and light diesel by Rs30, effectively from May 27.

Here is how social media reacted to the news:

"Please allow Horse Cart and Rikshaw service in #Islamabad, due to No Public Transport in the city people can't afford high price Petrol. Thank You. #PetrolDieselPrice," wrote one user on Twitter.

"The old days are back in Pakistan," a Twitter user said, sharing a cartoon showing donkeys pushing and dragging a car.

Some even posted memes that skewered the federal government.

Some were even more inventive with the message and suggested other uses for a car on the internet.

The finance minister noted some burden had to be shifted onto the masses, but despite the massive increase in the price of petroleum products, the government was still bearing losses but vowed to soon strike a staff-level agreement with the Fund.

Pakistan and the IMF could not reach a staff-level agreement a day earlier after the global lender said there were deviations from the policies that were agreed between both sides.