Islamabad [Pakistan]: After Pakistan’s Finance division issued a notification announcing a hike in petrol and HSD (High-speed diesel) by Rs 4 per litre, the reactions from Opposition parties are rife. Pakistan People Party(PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari took a jibe at PTI, the Pakistani ruling party, and said that this is a new year gift by Imran khan to the people of Pakistan.He also said that the only way to end inflation is to oust PTI’s government, reported Geo News.
PPP chairman questioned the PTI government by saying, “Imran Khan claimed that 2021 would be the year of prosperity, but 2022 has arrived, where have the claims gone”. Zardari blamed the Imran Khan government for the soaring inflation and said that inflation a year prior to the PTI government was less. Boasting of his party, he said that the inflation achieved its peak in Pakistan during PPP’s tenure however they did not let the citizens bear the brunt of it, reported Geo News. He called out the federal government to reduce the prices of petroleum products and bring them in line with the international prices. The price hike is affected from today, the start of a new year, and this coincidence is the perfect opportunity for the Opposition to bring on the political battle by their words. This is not the first time that Zardari has targeted the PTI government. Zardari previously said that democracy in Pakistan only exists on paper. He also termed Imran Khan government’s mini-budget- antipeople. Pakistan’s economy is already struggling and this hike was made to meet the petroleum levy target agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). As per the notification, the price of kerosene has been increased by Rs 3.95, and light diesel oil (LDO) by Rs 4.15 per litre, reported Geo News.
