Nawaz Sharif worried over increase in petrol prices: Rana Sanaullah

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has asserted that former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif was worried over the increase in petrol and diesel prices, ARY News reported on Sunday.

Speaking on a private news channel, the interior minister said that Nawaz Sharif was worried over the increase in prices of petroleum products, adding that the former prime minister said he cannot burden people with another penny.

Rana Sanaullah lambasted the former premier and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for ‘breaking’ an agreement with International Monetary Fund (IMF), saying that currently, the Fund was not ready to show any leniency.

The interior minister further said that the increase in petrol prices and removing the dollar cap were the demands of IMF. “Imran Khan and his party are trying to create instability in the country,” he added.

Earlier in the day, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday announced that the federal government has decided to raise the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs35 per litre, which will be applicable from 11am today.

In a televised address, Ishaq Dar said that 11 per cent increase was witnessed in the prices of petrol products in the international market.

Dar further announced that the prices of kerosene oil and light diesel oil have been increased by Rs18 per litre.

In response to a question, he rejected the notion of ‘any delay’ in general elections, saying that the polls would take place in October 2023. “The election will be in accordance with the constitution,” he said, adding that they were ready to contest.

Referring to PTI leader Fawad Chaudhy’s arrest, Rana Sanaullah said that the case against the former federal minister was registered on the complaint of Secretary Election Commission.

It is pertinent to mention here that a judicial magistrate on Saturday granted police two-day physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry, who was arrested for ‘threatening’ members of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

According to details, Judicial Magistrate Waqas Ahmed Raja accepted the police’s request for an extension in Fawad Chaudhry’s physical remand, sending the former information minister on two-day physical remand.