ISLAMABAD: Amid warnings against ignoring critical consequences of an ever-rising price hike, the opposition in the Senate on Friday staged a walkout from the house to protest against the government’s act of “dropping a petrol bomb” twice during a month and the absence of the finance minister to answer questions linked with the unprecedented increase in prices of petroleum products.

Raising the issue of increase in petrol price and its snowball effects on a point of public importance, PPP Senator Raza Rabbani said that mounting problems of the common man caused by inflationary pressures may provoke a social unrest leading to a rudderless revolution in the country as no political party was capable of leading the revolution now in the making.

Mr Rabbani voiced concern over the “rule through ordinances” and the fast eroding trust of the people in the parliament.

He criticised the finance minister who left the house after the question hour for not having the courage to stay and answer the questions over oil price increase and other associated matters.

PPP’s Rabbani says mounting problems of people may lead to ‘rudderless revolution’

He also expressed alarm over the disclosure that the United States was in direct talks with Pakistan over the use of a vital air corridor to Afghanistan.

Referring to new terms of engagement with the US drafted by the parliamentary committee on national security and adopted by the joint session of parliament, he said the talks were violation of the policy document approved in 2012.

Gen Frank McKenzie, who heads the US Central Command, recently confirmed at a congressional hearing that the US and Pakistan were “involved in ongoing deliberations” over the air corridor.

Mr Rabbani also grilled the foreign minister and the government for not taking the Senate and the National Assembly into confidence over the situation in Afghanistan.

Leader of the House Senator Dr Shahzad Waseem in his response ruled out that a revolution was in the making and said that revolutions took place when corrupt rulers were in the saddle.

“Despite the opposition’s attempts to spread despondency and present a gloomy picture about the state of affairs, the country will continue to move forward under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan,” he said.

He regretted that while the government wanted legislation in the National Assembly, the opposition would resort to whistling.

“If you don’t respect the president and parliament, then how can you talk about legislation and parliament,” he said.

Senator Shahzad asserted that oil prices were rising in the global market and despite Ogra’s recommendations for a higher increase, the government had passed on the “lesser burden” to the masses.

The foreign minister and fina­nce minister, he asserted, had been coming to parliament and making policy statements and replying to questions regularly.

Unlike the PTI government, he noted, the past governments used to increase petroleum prices when oil prices would fall in the world market.

“Revolutions happen where rulers are corrupt but the incumbent leadership is aware of its obligations and taking decisions in the ‘best national interest’,” he claimed.

JI Senator Mushtaq Ahmad also warned the government of a revolution in the making and asked the masses to take to streets against cruel economic policies of the incumbent government.

“The rulers must learn a lesson from the French Revolution,” he said.

He lamented that there had been an increase of Rs51 in oil prices over the last 13 months and this was a great injustice to the people.

“They have no policy other than increasing the prices of oil, gas, electricity and medicines,” he said.

“We condemn this merciless government for the latest increase in oil prices which will lead to raise in rates of everything in the country and make the life of the people more miserable and painful,” he said.

PPP parliamentary leader in the Senate and vice president Sherry Rehman, before announcing the walkout from the house against the petrol price hike and the absence of finance minister, said that once again the PTI government had dropped a petrol bomb in times of extreme inflation. “Petrol prices now stand at Rs127.3 per litre. They already increased the price by Rs5 per litre on Sept 15 but now the prices are up again. The PTI government has the unique reputation of raising fuel prices eight times in one year, leaving most of the country unable to function with such drastic strikes on their disposable incomes.”

Comparing today’s situation with the PPP’s days in government, Senator Sherry said during the PPP government in 2013, international oil prices were extremely high due to global financial crisis, but the price of petrol in the country was not allowed to go up anywhere close to the petrol price it was now in the country.

“What kind of explanation is this for eight-time increase in petroleum products’ prices in one year,” she asked while referring to the government’s claim that it was due to surge in oil prices in the international market.

She noted that these price shocks were unbearable for the people of the country.

She pointed out that the government had increased petrol price by Rs9 per litre in just 15 days and Rs32 over the last three years.

“The PTI is the opposite of what it promised: it does exactly what the IMF says, borrows like no government has done before and tells the people lies that good days are around the corner. Other governments have also run IMF programmes and the PPP government was also answerable to the people, but it negotiated better terms with IMF,” she added.

On the rupee devaluation, she noted that “on Sept 30, the rupee touched a record low of 172.50. There has been an unprecedented devaluation of the rupee since the PTI government has taken over”.

Senator Sherry, along with other members of the opposition, then walked out of the house in protest against non-presence of the finance minister in the house to explain the reason for the massive increase in petrol price.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2021