Dr. Yasmin Raashid Advisor to PTI Chairman said Sharif Brothers duplicity on petroleum prices regulation stands exposed. She said if Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) is autonomous body then why the government has set aside the recommendations of OGRA for a reduction by eight to 12pc in prices of all petroleum products. PML-N has always used public institutions for their political and financial gains she added. She said Oil prices are all time low and this is how Sharif Brothers punish people by increasing the tax on petroleum products. Shameless status quo certainly is not interested in improving common man's life and passing the benefit to the poor she added. She questioned how can government impose tax without passing from parliament? For Sharif Brothers parliament is a mere rubber stamp she added. She also strongly condemned gas tariff rise when the industry has to pay increased gas bill, they will obviously pass the impact on to the consumers she added.
PML-N government decision to increase tax on petroleum products is insane and reflects a complete disconnect of ruling elite from the people on the ground she added. She said Sharif Brothers instead of imposing taxes on the affluent classes always turn to indirect taxes that always hurt poor masses. Instead of widening tax base insensitive Sharif Brothers have resorted to taxing the already overly taxed poor public She added. She said government needs to tighten its belt rather than increasing financial burden on the beleaguered consumers. She termed Rs. 3 cut in petroleum products a joke with the nation when international oil prices have fallen by 60 percent.
PTI Information Secretary Andleeb Abbas said the space for slashing oil price was for Rs. 15 but callous government cannot see people enjoy benefits of low oil prices. She said the entire world is enjoying cheap petroleum prices but unfortunately in Sharif Brothers rule consumer fleecing is on the rise. It has been established now that Sharif Brothers are puppet of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) she added. She said PML-N raised the gas tariff to keep IMF happy so that they can get more and more loans. She said Pakistan could not progress until and unless we do not detach our self from cruel clutches of IMF. The current rise in gas tariff is truly shameful, as the poor will suffer even more by paying inflated gas bills she added. She said when it comes to poor PMLN can go to any extent to extort the money from them through indirect taxes and high gas tariffs.