ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Friday again witnessed the opposition’s protest, this time on the recent hike in the prices of petroleum products, while the government insisted that the prices were lower than the rates in international market.

The treasury benchers again gave an opportunity to the opposition to get the session suspended due to a thin attendance and the sitting could not continue even for an hour due to pointing out of quorum by the opposition.

The opposition also staged a demonstration outside the Parliament House for what it called dropping petrol bomb on the people.

At about the same venue, Fin­ance Minister Shaukat Tarin said at a press talk that Prime Minister Imran Khan wanted to provide relief to inflation-hit people.

Govt insists prices are lower than rates in international market

The house expressed dissatisfaction over “poor performance” of Pakistani athletes in Tokyo Olympics.

The NA session, presided over by Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, could not complete the question hour as the opposition complained that the government did not reply to questions tabled in the house.

“The same questions are being repeated since the last session, but the government has not given its replies for the last few weeks,” said Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Khawaja Asif. He asked the deputy speaker to take stern action against the members who did not attend the sessions regularly.

“It is the height of non-seriousness on the part of treasury members that questions are not replied even in the question hour,” he said.

Rejecting the hike in petroleum prices, the MNA said the government had once again “dropped petrol bomb” on the people. “For God’s sake be merciful to the people,” he added.

The government on Thursday announced Rs4 to Rs8 increase in the prices of petroleum products and now one litre petrol is selling at Rs127.3.

After Mr Asif’s speech, opposition members, particularly those from the PML-N, started raising slogans against the government and the prime minister. Women members were holding placards in their hands inscribed with anti-government slogans.

The protesting opposition members surrounded the speaker’s dais and shouted slogans of “Go Niazi go”, “Petrol bomb na manzoor,” etc.

The opposition members called upon the government to withdraw the hike in oil prices.

Mr Asif said the opposition was not being allowed to speak on the issue of petrol prices in the house. “Where should we go if we are not allowed to speak on important national issues in the house,” he asked.

Later the opposition staged a walkout.

Shazia Marri of the Pakistan Peoples Party and some other members pointed out quorum and the session was prorogued.

Tarin’s media talk

Later, Finance Minister Tarin talked to the media outside Parliament House and claimed that the government was absorbing impact of the decade’s highest price hike at international level to provide relief to people through various measures including direct food subsidy to the poor.

He said Covid-19 pandemic had triggered price hike all across the globe but the government did not pass on all this impact to people.

Talking about the hike in oil prices, the minister said that Pakistan was at 17th number among the countries providing the commodity at the lowest prices, adding that the majority of the other 16 countries having lowest prices than Pakistan were oil-producing countries.

“Petrol prices in the country are even lower than regional countries as it is being sold at Rs127 per litre in Pakistan whereas its price in India is Rs235 per litre and in Bangladesh Rs195 per litre,” he added.

He said the government wanted to reduce prices as it had already slashed the petroleum development levy from Rs30 per litre in 2018 to just Rs2.5 per litre. “This was despite the fact that the government had set a target of Rs600 billion for petroleum levy in the budget.”

“The economy of the country is growing as revenue has witnessed over 38pc increase and exceeded the target by Rs186 billion,” the minister added.

He said that Kamyab Pakistan Programme would be launched soon under which farmers would be provided interest-free loan of Rs150,000 per crop and Rs200,000 interest-free loan on mechanisation whereas urban households would be provided Rs500,000 per family to start businesses. “We do not want to give you (people) a fish but want to teach you how to catch it,” he added.

The government, he said, was also providing loans up to Rs2 million at 2pc interest for construction of houses whereas as health cards were being issued to enable people to get healthcare.

Mr Tarin said the prime minister was concerned about the welfare of common man.

About debts, the minister said that the debt-to-GDP ratio came down by 4pc last year, expecting that it would come further down during current year.

To a question, the minister said the government would sincerely negotiate with International Monetary Fund (IMF). He said the government had promised to collect revenue of RS5.8 trillion and the collection figures till date indicated that it would exceed the target.

He said there were certain challenges in power sector but increasing tariff, as advised by the IMF, was not a solution. “So we would like the IMF to provide space to us in this regard,” he added.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2021