A local citizen who challenged the new prices says that the matter is already in the court, and therefore, the new increase in fuel prices should be set aside.
ISLAMABAD: (Urdu Point/Pakistan Point News-Jan 1st, 2019) New increase in fuel prices has been challenged before the Lahore High Court here on Wednesday.
A local citizen filed the petition saying that that the matter was already before the court but the government increased petrol prices.
He said the new hike in fuel prices is another bomb on the general public which is already suffering from high inflation. Transportation and all things including the edibles of daily use will be more expensive. The price of bread is also high and with increase of petrol prices, it will go further up. The living of a common citizen has badly been affected by lethal inflation of the ruling PTI.
It may be mentioned here that new increase in POL prices became effective from January 1st, 2020 as ministry of Finance accepted summary of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) to raise prices of petroleum products.
According to new notification of ministry of Finance, the price of diesel has been increased by Rs2.25 and kerosene by Rs3.10 per litre, Petrol will be available at Rs116.60 per litre, light diesel Rs84.51 per litre. It says that kerosene will now be sold at Rs99.45 per litre.
OGRA had recommended to the Petroleum Division to increase prices of petroleum related products for the month of January 2020.
The price of petrol per litre has been increased by 2.29 per cent, diesel 1.8 per cent and kerosene 3.22 per cent as compared to the previous month. The government will be charging 17 percent general sales tax (GST) on all petroleum products from January, 2020.
In addition to that, the government is also collecting petroleum levy on these products which is taken from the consumers. The government at present is charging Rs18 per liter petroleum levy on high speed diesel, Rs15 on petrol and Rs6 on kerosene.
The government has also increased the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) by Rs277.79 to Rs1,791.48 per 11.8/kg cylinder for January 2020. Ogra notified that the new prices, under which the LPG price has been increased by 23.54/kg to Rs151.82/kg. For December 2019, the Ogra had notified LPG price at Rs1,513.69/cylinder or Rs128.27/kg.
The citizens have strongly condemned increase in fuel prices which will cause more inflation in the country.
“Everything is getting out of reach due to inflation,” said Arshad Ali, a resident of Murree road in Islamabad. “The inflation has deprived many of two-time bread—what shameful government it is,” he further said.
