Opposition stages walkout, protest from Senate over hike in fuel prices

ISLAMABAD: Opposition parties including PTI on Thursday staged a protest and later walked out of Senate against a late-night hike in fuel prices during a discussion on the federal budget for fiscal year 2022-23, ARY NEWS reported.

The Senators from the opposition side demanded of the chairman initiate a debate on a hike in fuel prices after a midnight bombshell, however, Sadiq Sanjrani refused and asked PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui to continue with his speech on the budget.

“Go to your seats to protest and raise slogans outside the Senate hall,” the chairman said as opposition members besieged his chair and demanded to initiate a debate on a hike in fuel prices.

Sadiq Sanjrani, however, did not budge to their demand, forcing the opposition to walk out of the Upper House of the Parliament. The chairman Senate tasked PPP Senator Bahramand Tangi to woo the lawmakers and bring them back to the House.

Earlier, speaking on the floor of the House, the PTI Parliamentary Leader Senator Shahzad Waseem asked where the finance minister has gone into hiding after an unprecedented hike in fuel prices.

“They loot masses in the night and hide in the day to avoid public wrath,” he said and threatened that no discussion will take place on the budget unless the House is being taken into confidence over the increase.