Just like transporters and people belonging to other segments of society have rejected an ‘astounding’ increase in the petroleum products’ prices, similarly the opposition parties, led by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), too have voiced their concern over the government’s one of the most unpopular decisions, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Thursday.

Shehbaz Sharif

PML-N President and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif said insensitive and brutal rulers are forcing the public to rebel.

Reacting to the petrol price hike, Shehbaz said by these kinds of steps “you can run neither a country nor a poor household”.

Bilawal Bhutto

Rejecting hike in the prices of petroleum products, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto has addressed Prime Minister Imran Khan in these words, “Petrol’s price is now up by Rs5. Mr. Prime Minister, could you please tell us when people of the country will heave a sigh of relief?”

He said by raising petrol’s price to an all-time high, the prime minister had extorted money from the people. “When there is record increase in the US dollar rate and petrol’s price, everything will be out of the reach of ordinary people,” PPP chairman commented.

He recalled that ‘selected’ PM Imran had said, “I will make you weep. And surely, he has stuck to his words. The nation is weeping today while the prime minister is hardly moved. He is as cool as a cucumber,” Bilawal regretted.

“Where are those tall claims of providing relief to the people after the recently announced budget?” he asked the prime minister.

He said it was shameful that leaders of that very party, which had promised to the nation before coming to power that petrol would be cheaper in its tenure, now had the ‘audacity’ to defend the recent increase.

Sirajul Haq

Jamaat-i-Islami Chief Sirajul Haq said the drug and petrol mafia is minting billions.

Rejecting the raise in prices of petrol and medicines, he said these prices have increased manifold during the last three years.

He asked the government to withdraw petroleum levy.

Aslo Read: Petrol price goes up by Rs5 per litre

Zubair Umar

While Asad Umar, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader and former minister, did not give much importance to the question put by a journalist regarding hike in petroleum products’ prices, his elder brother Zubair Umar, who is associated with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) thought otherwise.

He said whenever POL prices were increased when PTI was in the opposition it would call the government ‘thief’, a usurper of people’s money. “If we go by this criterion, Prime Minister Imran Khan is the biggest thief,” he said.

Palwasha Khan

PPP leader Palwasha Khan said that ‘mind boggling’ hike in the petroleum products’ prices announced by the present government was unprecedented. “Such an act of cruelty is unimaginable,” she remarked.

Senator Salim Mandviwala

Senator Salim Mandviwala, another PPP leader, said that sadly the government was not at all concerned about the miseries of common man. “The government does not take into account at all what impact increase in POL prices will have on the prices of remaining items,” he regretted.

Azma Bukhari

Similarly, Azma Bukhari, the PML-N leader, has termed recent hike in petroleum products’ prices an anti-people step. “It is a matter of great shame that those very people who would protest out on the roads when petrol was available at Rs75, now were themselves doing the same without any fear of being held accountable by the people,” she remarked.

Azma said that the government’s decision to increase the prices would definitely lead to record inflation in the country.

Similarly, the PML-N went on to add, US dollar’s rate against Pak Rupee was currently the highest in the country’s entire history, while prices of medicines also showed no signs of coming down as prices of even life-saving drugs had gone up by 17 percent.

Also Read: Pakistani rupee gains 82 paisas against dollar after SBP action

She opined if Prime Minister Imran and his ministers even had an iota of shame left in them, they would have preferred to resign. “But these people have no shame, while common man, on the other hand, continues to suffer,” she regretted.

Asking the prime minister to stop telling lies, Azma said people were befooled by the PTI in the name of tabdeeli (change). “Mr. Prime Minister. Are you aware of the fact that suicide rate in the country has gone up by five per cent?” she questioned.