ISLAMABAD : Feb 15,2023: In an anti people bid ruthlessly made to meet the conditions of International Monrtary Fund (IMF) to secure release of a $ 1.2 billion tranche , prime minister , Shahbaz Sharif led Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government has jacked up petrol and other petroleum product prices massively.
The new prices of petroleum products have become effective forthwith and would remain valid up to February 28.
According to an official handout of the Finance ministry released here on Wednesday, the price of petrol has been increased by Rs 22.20 per liter and its new price is fixed at Rs 272 a liter .
Likewise , the price of high speed diesel (HSD) has been increased by Rs 17.20 per liter and Its new price is Rs 280 per liter.
The price of kerosene oil and light diesel oil (LDO) have been increased by Rs12.90 and Rs9.68 respectively.
The new price of kerosene is Rs202.73 and LDO is Rs196.68 per liter.
The PDM government has revised the rates of petroleum products to meet one of the conditions of the IMF.
The government had agreed to the Fund in the recently concluded round of talks held in Islamabad to increase the petroleum product prices to achieve the target fixed by it for revenue collection from Petroleum Development Levy (PDL).
The move may help the government seal a deal with IMF for securing a tranche amounting to $ 1.2 billion and also unlock inflow of more loans from other resources, but it will have devastating impact on the lives of Pakistanis who are already under unbearable pressure of all time high inflation.
The PDM government’s decisions like increasing the rates of petroleum products time and again have left the public in shock . Repeated increases in the rates of rhe electricity and petroleum products have turned the people’s lives into a living hell.
The decisions taken by PDM in its last 10 months tenure clearly demonstrate that the ruling Janta has no worries for the people . Rather, its actions show the sitting rulers are only worried to prolong their rule no matter how it affects the lives of the people of Pakistan.
