The opposition on Saturday slammed the government’s move to hike petrol and diesel prices by Rs55 per litre, terming it an “inflation bomb” for the public and demanding its reversal. The decision to raise the prices came as the country felt the economic impacts of the US-Israel war on Iran, which has paralysed trade via the Strait of Hormuz — a route Pakistan relies heavily on for its oil supplies. Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas termed the decision the “worst form of governance and a grave anti-people move”. “When people are already struggling to make ends meet, such decisions are tantamount to rubbing salt into the people’s wounds,” he said on X. Highlighting that the government was already collecting more than Rs100 in petroleum levy, Abbas wondered whether the public or the ruling class would bear the additional burden. The government has increased the petroleum development levy (PDL) on petrol by Rs20 to about Rs105 per litre to offset what would otherwise have been a higher increase in diesel prices. Meanwhile, the levy on high-speed diesel (HSD) was reduced to Rs57 per litre from Rs77.
Published: March 7, 2026 3:51 pm
Source: Dawn — Read original