LHC seeks reply from federal govt over hike in fuel prices

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday issued notices to the Oil and Gas Regulator Authority (OGRA), the federal government, petroleum ministry and others on a petition challenging the recent hike in prices of petroleum products, ARY News reported.

A two-judge bench of the LHC, headed by Justice Shahid Kareem, heard the petition challenging the recent increase in the prices of petroleum products.

After a preliminary hearing, the court issued notices to the official respondents to file their response to the petition within 14 days.

The LHC also directed petitioner to withdraw Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s name as a respondent from the plea.

The petitioner earlier argued that the petrol prices have been increased without approval from the federal cabinet and called the price hike unconstitutional.

PETROL PRICE HIKE CHALLENGED IN LHC

Advocate Azhar Siddique had filed a plea in the LHC pertaining to fuel prices.

The Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), the federal government and other concerned authorities have been made respondents in the case.

The federal government last Thursday increased the prices of petroleum products by Rs30 per litre. The development was announced by Finance Minister Miftah Ismail while addressing a press conference in Islamabad.

After the hike, the price of petrol is set at Rs209.86, diesel at Rs204.15, and kerosene oil at Rs181.56.

It is pertinent to note here that this is the second such increase within a span of two weeks as the coalition government led by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) raised the price of petrol by Rs30 per litre on May 26, the biggest increase in fuel price in the country’s history.