ISLAMABAD: A wave of strong condemnation has emerged from opposition leaders following the federal government’s announcement of a substantial increase in petroleum prices. This move, they warn, threatens to exacerbate the already dire economic challenges faced by ordinary Pakistanis, particularly by pushing inflation and poverty levels even higher. The government justified the price hike by pointing to rising international oil prices, which have surged due to escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
During a press briefing held in Islamabad, federal ministers revealed that petrol prices would be raised by Rs. 55 per litre, a significant jump that will see the cost of petrol rise to Rs. 321.17 per litre. Similarly, diesel prices will increase sharply from Rs. 275.70 to Rs. 335.86 per litre. This steep rise is expected to have a ripple effect across the economy, impacting transportation costs and the prices of essential goods and services.
Expressing his disapproval on the social media platform X, Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman, the head of Jamaat-e-Islami, denounced the government’s decision as unacceptable and unfair to the public. He criticized the authorities for imposing the entire financial burden on consumers instead of easing the tax and levy structure on petroleum products. He highlighted that when global oil prices had recently dropped to a five-year low, the government chose to increase the petroleum levy rather than pass on any relief to the people. Now, with prices climbing again, the government has once more shifted the cost onto the shoulders of ordinary citizens.
Adding to the chorus of criticism, Senator Aon Abbas Buppi from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) drew comparisons with other regional powers. He pointed out that despite the volatile situation in the Strait of Hormuz, countries like India, China, and Japan have refrained from immediately raising their fuel prices. He questioned the rationale behind Pakistan’s rapid price hike, especially since the government had previously confirmed that the country holds at least a month’s worth of petroleum stock purchased at older, lower rates. This raised doubts about the necessity and timing of the sudden increase.
Even some members allied with the government have voiced their apprehensions. Nadeem Afzal Chan, the Central Secretary Information of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), remarked that crises such as wars or the COVID-19 pandemic invariably demand sacrifices from the general public. He lamented that the recent surge in petrol prices would inevitably make essential items like medicines and food more expensive, and questioned what sacrifices the country’s elite have made amid these challenging times. His comments underscored a growing frustration over perceived inequalities in how economic hardships are shared across different social strata.
Former Federal Minister for Information, Fawad Chaudhry, also weighed in on the debate, criticizing the government’s approach to taxation on petroleum products. He revealed that the government is already collecting approximately Rs. 100 per litre in taxes on fuel. Instead of alleviating this tax burden to shield consumers from the impact of rising global oil prices, the government has opted to increase retail prices substantially. Chaudhry warned that such policies would disproportionately hurt the middle class, which is already struggling with inflationary pressures.
Journalist Syed Imran Shafqat described the price hike as an act of “oppression,” rejecting the official narrative that the decision was solely driven by external global market conditions. He emphasized that Pakistan has yet to procure petroleum at the newly inflated international rates, implying that the government’s justification lacks credibility. Meanwhile, former Jamaat-e-Islami leader Siraj ul Haq urged the government to reconsider its spending priorities. He called for cuts in government luxuries and non-developmental expenditures as a more equitable way to provide relief to citizens burdened by soaring inflation, rather than passing costs onto the public through fuel price increases.
The controversy surrounding the petrol price hike highlights the broader economic challenges Pakistan faces amid global uncertainties and domestic fiscal constraints. As inflation continues to bite, the government’s decisions on energy pricing remain a flashpoint for political debate and public concern, with opposition parties united in their demand for more transparent and people-friendly policies.
