The prices will be applied immediately, Federal Finance Minister (Photo: File)
Karachi: The sudden announcement by the Federal Finance Minister to increase the price of petrol and diesel by Rs 35 has created a chaotic situation in the city. Sales discontinued.
The new petrol prices were to be announced on January 31, but to meet the conditions of the IMF, it was increased prematurely by Rs 35.35, which made petrol Rs 250.50 and diesel Rs 263.50 per litre.
The echoes of the IMF’s condition to cover the tax deficit by increasing the price of petrol were heard in Karachi since last week, that’s why the owners of petrol pumps started stockpiling petrol from last week and almost 50% of the city’s petrol pumps were closed on Saturday. And the sale of petrol was stopped on Sunday midnight.
This shows that the petroleum dealers knew that petrol was going to be expensive. On Sunday morning, citizens were suddenly informed that petrol was expensive, long queues of bikes, rickshaws and cars were formed, which created a chaotic situation at the petrol pumps.
Citizens reacting against the federal government and the finance minister termed the increase in the price of petrol as the beginning of a new and severe wave of inflation.
The citizens said that the extraordinary increase in the price of petrol shows that the government is not interested in the problems of the people who are suffering from inflation and tough economic conditions and the entire burden of the budget deficit is being put on the people under the pressure of the IMF.
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