The federal government increased the prices of petroleum products Thursday.

The price of petrol surged by Rs8.3 per litre and kerosene by Rs6.27 per litre and high-speed diesel Rs8.24 per litre.

The new prices of petrol, light-speed diesel, high-speed diesel and kerosene are Rs145.82 per litre, Rs114.07 per litre Rs142.62 per and Rs116.53 per litre respectively.

The government made the increase a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan warned people of a surge in to come as he announced a Rs120 billion relief package providing subsidy on essential food items. In an address to the nation, the prime minister promised to reduce prices of food items by 50 per cent if the opposition leaders’ families brought back even half of the money to the country they had looted over the last three decades.

He gave a detailed comparison of prices of oil and essential items in the world with those in Pakistan and feared another gas crisis during the current winter.  The prime minister said he realised there was a price hike in the country but held the opposition [for its faulty policies in the past] and inflation in the international market responsible for the miseries of the people in Pakistan.