• The prime minister will “bring the nation to confidence’ on IMF-PTI deal soon
• MNA on both sides of pass call out government over price hike • Ministers defend government move ask traders to take austerity measures • Imran urges for nationwide anti-inflation protests on Sunday
ISLAMABAD: Amid widespread criticism from friends and foes over in governments decision raise oil prices for third time in the same number of weeks, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday defended move, claiming he was “left with no choice”, and vowed to take the nation in confidence about the deal signed by the previous Pakistani Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government with International Monetary Fund (IMF), which he says was main cause for economic woes of the country.
Rejection of the government’s position, PTI Chairman Imran Khan gave call for nationwide protests against price hike and load shedding on Sunday.
According to PTI information secretary Farrukh Khabib, Mr. Khan also contact protesters via video link at specific locations in various city at 9 pm on Sunday.
In the National Assembly also the number of deputies from both the opposition and the Treasury asked government or withdraw immediately price raise or lower package for masses.
prime minister’s recognition
Prime Minister Sharif through series of tweets acknowledged that the recent hike in oil prices will cause more inflation, but blamed the previous PTI government for in current economic situation of country.
“I wonder if those who made the worst deal with the IMF and took clearly bad economic decisions have a conscience face in truth. How can they pretend to be innocent when what the nation is going through is clearly their doing? Details soon”Shehbaz wrote on Twitter.
“Kindly aware of the effect that the fuel has price to travel on foot causes. (The) government left with there is no other choice but to raise prices due to () IMF deal that () PTI government signed,” he said further, adding: “Will take the nation in confidence on peculiarities of IMF-PTI deal soon. We’ll get out of these economic difficulties, I.A.”
PTI reaction
Coming down hard on in government, PTI’s Farrukh Khabib said as he dropped the “oil bomb” three times. on masses in just 20 days was nothing but rubbing salt on their wounds.
“Just like the robbers enter house in darkness of night, import government robbing pockets too much of in people via petrol and diesel prices in darkness of night,” PTI tweeted. secretary general Asad Umar.
In a similar way, former finance minister Shaukat Taryn tweeted that the increase in oil prices push up inflation over 30 percent and “crush middle- and low-income groups.”
“They T. government) should receive discounted Russian oil, provide subsidies to low-income groups, and cut other costs to give relief (to people),” he offered.
national assembly
In the lower house, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail remained a target of the anger of the deputies during budget debate after Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) raised issue of increase in oil prices. He called finance minister “representative of the IMF” and asked government at least make money for people to cover expenses for burial.
PTI dissident Mir Khan Muhammad Jamali expressed regret that all past governments have appointedelected people as finance ministers, stating that the incumbent was also one such person shall not be liable to anyone.
Javed Hasnain of PML-N also interrogated if there was not a single member in in house who could take responsibility of finance minister. He regretted that they passed over everyone, including the State Bank, in the IMF for for the sake of of 1 billion dollars.
Independent MNA Mohsin Dawar criticized the government move of withdrawal of a subsidy on petroleum products, and was quoted two-year-an old UNDP report that states that government gave subsidies worth 2660 billion rupees to the feudal lords, the corporate sector and military-run enterprises. He asked why these subsidies are not considered a burden on in national Treasury Department.
Press conference of ministers
Performance in a joint news conference, Minister of Defense Khawaja Asif, Minister of State for Petroleum Dr Musadik Malik, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Kashmir Affairs Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira and Communications Minister Asad Mehmood defended governments move raise oil prices and called on the nation, especially traders, to take austerity measures to reduce embezzlement of fuel and electricity.
According to the APP, Mr. Asif said that traders should take new business closing dates proposed by the federal cabinet reduce electricity consumption and fuel consumption.
“We can control price hike through domestic measures such as austerity. However, on national level, neither previous governments nor society has adopted austerity measures to control unnecessary spending,” he said. added. “Rest assured, government everyone will take possible step to ensure relief.”
Dr. Malik said that the previous government planted mines with subsidies on fuel and left country in debilitating economic situation. “Imran Khan decided that there would be no promotion in fuel prices that have not been ratified in Any official document, and was only a political proclamation,” he said, adding that they had detained price increase for a month would be cost in national treasury from 100 to 120 billion rupees per month.
Senate protest
Meanwhile, the opposition in The Senate staged a noisy protest against oil price march, gathering at the platform of the chairman and chanting slogans against in government.
The deputies ignored the chairman’s request to take their seats and staged token exit from house.
JI Senator Mushtaq Ahmad said the massive increase in oil price there was a conspiracy against in people who subjected to economic suffocation.
Published in Dawn, June 17, 2022
