In a striking demonstration against escalating petroleum prices, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) legislators arrived at the Sindh Assembly on donkey carts on Friday. They highlighted how the surge in fuel costs has made it challenging for them to commute to the provincial legislature using their vehicles.
The lawmakers carried placards and chanted slogans condemning the rise in petroleum prices as they traveled from a nearby location to the assembly’s main entrance on donkey carts. PTI representative Sajjad Soomro explained that the protest aimed to draw attention to the severe impact of fuel price hikes on ordinary citizens.
“Petrol has become so costly that we are unable to reach the assembly in our own vehicles,” Soomro stated. The PTI members urged the government to revoke the recent fuel price increases and offer relief to consumers struggling with the financial strain.
This demonstration coincided with the Sindh Assembly’s Friday session, which commenced at 3 pm. The official agenda included a question-and-answer segment related to the Universities and Boards Department, three call-attention notices addressing drinking water shortages in Latifabad and Hyderabad, challenges faced by University of Sindh students seeking admission to third-year classes, and proposals to enhance the Cardiac Medical Centre in Landhi.
Additionally, the session featured an adjournment motion concerning the poor upkeep of pedestrian bridges and deliberations on the Sindh Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The fuel price protest reflects mounting concern among lawmakers over the rising cost of petroleum products. Earlier this week, the Sindh Assembly unanimously passed an opposition resolution urging the federal government to abolish the petroleum levy. This resolution was introduced by Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Muhammad Farooq, while Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar noted that the issue falls under federal jurisdiction.
Moreover, the assembly debated a PTI resolution calling on the federal government to halt the practice of transferring daily global oil price fluctuations directly to consumers. In response to the fuel price surge, the government has launched a relief scheme targeting eligible motorcycles, rickshaws, and vehicles with engines up to 800cc.
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