BAHAWALPUR, Dec 16: The general public and transporters have protested against a sharp increase in the petroleum prices.
Bahawalpur division transport federation president Chaudhry Sohail Ashraf while criticizing the government for the enhancement in POL prices said the commuters would have to face the real burden.
He said that transporters would be justified in demanding the raise in fares on inter-city routes after the increase of petroleum prices. He said the increase in prices by the government could not be justified when the prices of petroleum products in the international market had already registered a downward trend.
Instead, he said, the government should have given a relief to the general public by decreasing the prices. Transporters, he said, would soon meet to discuss the issue and demand the increase in the fares of buses and AC coaches on inter-district routes.
Meanwhile, the taxi cabs and rickshaw drivers have enhanced their fares immediately after the announcement of price increase by the government. The general public maintained that cotton, beef, chicken and vegetables were already being sold at high prices and after the increase in petrol prices all these commodities would further shoot up. They have demanded of the government to bring down the prices of POL prices immediately for the larger public interest.
SIALKOT: All the main trade bodies have strongly rejected the recent hike in POL prices. Talking to newsmen here on Thursday, the SCCI office bearers, Pakistan Sports Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association chairman Muhammad Yunas Ratra, Pakistan Gloves Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PGMEA) chief Shaikh Abdul Waheed Sandal and others expressed grave concern over the raise in POL prices.
They said the recent hike in POL prices would further increase the cost of production of all exportable items, badly affecting the export. They said that the Sialkot exporters would now be unable to compete with other countries on account of their higher prices.
Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PRGMEA) central chairman Ijaz A Khokhar, Surgical Instruments Manufacturers Association (SIMA) chief Bilal Hyder Agha, Pakistan Musical Instruments Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PMIMEA) chief Muhammad Naeem Akhtar, Markazi Anjuman Tajran president Haji Ghulam Mujtaba, citizens rights forum chief Dr Muneer Butt and Sialkot Distributors Association secretary-general Muhammad Yunas Sappal also attended the press conference.
TOBA TEK SINGH: Political as well as farmers' leaders have cast away the raise in POL prices. Former PPP MPA Mian Muhammad Rafiq said that anti-farmer policies had already ruined the farming sector and the raise in diesel price would further burden the farmers using tractors and tubewells.
PML-N district secretary-general Rana Muhammad Anwar advocate said the raise in petroleum prices would result in the further hike of prices of all commodities and fares of buses and other transport means.
Former PPP CEC member Ghiasuddin Janbaz said that farmers were already facing financial crisis due to the shortage of irrigation water and price hike in other inputs. Pakistan Kissan Committee president Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad and Jamaat-i-Islami district amir Dr Zahid Sattar also condemned the government for raising petroleum prices.
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