From Abid Usman
LAHORE: Following the unpreceded surge in the prices of petroleum products, transports have announced an increase in fares.
They claimed that the increase in fares was very much necessary after the hike in the price of fuel. The transporters raised the fare from Lahore to Karachi by Rs600 rupees.
The fare from Lahore to Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Multan has been increased by Rs100. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar announced an increase in the price of petrol and diesel by Rs35 Sunday.
The national trade and transport bodies vent their rage over the massive increase in the prices of petroleum products. The representative of different leading trade and transport unions demanded the government withdraw the decision
The All Pakistan Anjuman Tajran (APAT) president Ajmal Baloch, in a statement, termed the fresh hike in petroleum the last nail in the coffin of the country’s economy.
Ajmal Baloch said that a cruel increase in petroleum product costs will further weaken the economic environment which is already under threat on all fronts.
Traders Association of Pakistan president Kashif Chaudhry also rejected the hike in POL prices and said the latest increase would bring a flood of inflation in the country.
Sindh MPA and Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance president Malik Shahzad Awan also rejected the increase in petroleum products prices and announced a countrywide protest.
Tajran Khyber Pakhtunkhwa general secretary Zahir Shah said the increase in the prices of petroleum products would bring a new storm of inflation, urging the government to withdraw the decision. Anjum Nisar, chairman of the Businessmen Panel said the move will hit the industry hard.
The government announced a Rs35 increase in the prices of petrol and diesel. The announcement came hours after Orgra rejected reports about the government’s plan to raise the price of petroleum products.
Inflation has been rampant. Pulses prices went up by Rs120 per kg in a week and statistics show the weekly inflation rate exceeded 32 per cent. The dollar value hits more than Rs262.60 and the gold rates have been surging to a record high too.
