PPP central spokesperson Shazia Marri criticised the federal government on Monday for dropping a “petrol bomb” on the public close to Ramazan, terming the latest hike in petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) prices “unjust” and “highly unfair”. The government increased petrol and HSD prices by Rs 5 and Rs 7.32 per litre, respectively, on Sunday night. The ex-depot price of petrol now stands at Rs 258.17 per litre and of HSD at Rs 275.70 per litre. The government said the new prices will continue till the end of February, owing to movement in international market prices. A statement on the PPP’s website said Marri strongly rejected the federal government’s decision to increase the prices of petroleum products, terming it “unjust and ill-advised” ahead Ramazan. According to the statement, Marri said that raising the price of petrol and diesel just days before Ramazan “is a highly unfair and unwise move”. She described the increase as a “petrol bomb” dropped on the public at a time when people were already struggling with “record inflation”. The PPP lawmaker said, “The government should have focused on providing relief to inflation-hit citizens instead of imposing additional financial burdens.” “The hike in petroleum prices will severely affect the poor, labourers, and middle class and will trigger a fresh rise in food prices and transportation costs,” she warned. The statement said Marri highlighted the “contradiction” in the federal government policies. “On one hand, the government is announcing a Ramazan relief package, while on the other, it is fuelling inflation through price hikes. It is a clear policy failure,” Marri was further quoted as saying. She urged the government to “concentrate on addressing unemployment, inflation, and the ongoing economic crisis rather than taking decisions that further aggravate public hardship”. Marri demanded that the government immediately review and withdraw the increase in petroleum prices and take concrete steps to provide real relief to the people.
