Islamabad: The opposition parties have rejected the hike in electricity prices by the government.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader and former ambassador to the USA, Shery Rehman said that the incompetent government didn’t provide anything to masses except inflation and unemployment.
She said that we condemned the federal cabinet decision to increase the power tariff.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)
Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif likened the increase in power tariff to a “mini budget”.
“In the budget speech, what I said proved to be true and the government proved to be false. I had said that the government will bring a mini budget and today this has come true,” Shahbaz said.
“This proves that the government deceived the people when it comes to the budget,” he added.
The Opposition leader said that if this government continues to run, the economy will not.
“If this government is allowed to continue, the poor man’s means of livelihood, his business, will no longer flourish,” he said.
Shahbaz said that imposing 17% sales tax on tax-exempt items is “terrorism against the people and the economy”, as are rising prices of petrol and electricity.
Jamiat Ulma-e-Islam (JUI-F)
The Opposition’s Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) also rejected the government’s summary of petrol price hike and the increase in power tariff.
“Billions of rupees have been looted from people’s pockets due to increase in electricity prices,” JUI-F’s Hafiz Hamdullah said.
“The false government and its catastrophic rule has increased petrol prices by 40% in 3 years,” he said.
“Imran Khan promised to give relief to the people in the budget. Where is that relief?” Hamdullah asked.
He alleged the goal of the PTI government is not the eradication of poverty, rather it is the “elimination of the poor”..
Hamdullah said the PDM is out on the streets to “save the country” and the nation from this “torment”.
He said that a “historic” gathering will be held in Faisalabad tomorrow against the “incompetent and illegitimate rulers”.
“The rally will be attended by the leadership of all parties including PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz,” he added.
