Petroleum prices... By Tahir
19 September, 2012
Petroleum prices in our country are always on the rise. One finds hardly any justification for such a constant rise. Government attributes this increase to the corresponding rise in petroleum rates in international markets, which is usually far from the truth. Nevertheless, even if it is true, what is the justification for raising the CNG prices? Gas in the indigenous and international market does not affect the price of gas. This makes the policy of petrol-gas parity redundant. The successive governments have exploited the masses by encouraging people to switch their vehicles to CNG by liberally permitting establishment of CNG stations and by virtually shifting all manufacturing industry from electricity to gas. Now the public is being fleeced by a constant rise in the CNG prices. Could someone responsible give a justification publicly, please? The world over, prices of diesel are kept high to discourage its use, being an environmental hazard. We befool people by lowering its price to justify the abnormal rise in other petroleum products. In the past petroleum prices were revised at the beginning of the financial year and the increase during the fiscal year was done only in exceptional/extraordinary circumstances. There is hardly any justification to revise the prices every month and now every week. The increase in the petroleum prices results in increase in each and every commodity. With this trend, we are racing, God forbid, towards a tremendous disaster. I appeal to the authorities to take back this increase and desist from increasing prices until the next budget. TAHIR LATEEF SHEIKH
Advocate, High Court,
Lahore
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