ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said on Friday that the sharp increase in petrol and diesel prices was caused by the ongoing war in the Middle East, and the government had “nothing to do with it”.
Speaking in a televised address, Sanaullah defended the government’s decision to raise fuel prices by 43% for petrol and 55% for high-speed diesel on Thursday.
“There is no example in the past of such a big increase in global petroleum prices,” he said. “This rise is hitting Pakistan too, which is why we had to increase prices yesterday.”
He added that the government had already spent Rs129 billion on austerity measures and tried to shield the public from the burden for three weeks. However, he said this could not continue indefinitely.
Targeted Subsidies Announced
Sanaullah said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held consultations with political leaders and decided to give targeted subsidies instead of a blanket relief for everyone.
The government announced:
- Rs100 subsidy per litre for motorcyclists
- Rs1,500 subsidy per acre for farmers
- Rs70,000 to Rs80,000 subsidy for goods transporters depending on their capacity
- Rs100,000 subsidy for other transporters
Sanaullah stressed that the price hike was purely due to the Middle East war. “The government had nothing to do with it. Everybody knows who started the war,” he asserted.
He accused some opposition parties of spreading propaganda and inciting protests for political gain, while ignoring the government’s austerity measures and subsidies.
“If someone wants to protest, they should protest against Israel for starting the war on Iran,” he said. He warned that if the war continues for another three to four months, Pakistan could face an even worse situation.
Sanaullah called for national unity and asked the opposition to stop misleading the public and instead support the government’s efforts to end the war.
Opposition Reacts Strongly
PTI Chairman Gohar Khan criticised the government, saying petrol has no alternative and the price hike will badly affect the poor and farmers. He announced that PTI would hold an all-parties conference on the issue.
PTI leader Taimur Saleem Jhagra said the government first promised to hold prices and then raised them, calling it “adding fuel to the fire”.
Jamaat-i-Islami chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman warned that if the government does not withdraw the price hike, his party will launch a nationwide protest movement, including surrounding chief ministers’ houses and observing a countrywide strike.
