PPP announces countrywide protest against hike in petrol, diesel prices

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has announced countrywide protest against the recent hike in prices of all petroleum products.

PPP will stage demonstrations outside press clubs in every district headquarter across the country on Sunday, according to PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira. He called PPP workers to participate in protests in large numbers.

The recent hike in the prices of petrol and diesel has drawn strong criticism from the opposition, including the PPP with its chairman deploring the government’s decision to increase the prices.

He termed the hike as a vengeful action against the people reeling under poverty. He demanded that the government should immediately take back increase in prices of petroleum products; otherwise PPP would launch a protest campaign.

Earlier on Nov 1, the federal government revised prices of all petroleum products for the month of November.

A notification of the petroleum ministry said the fuel prices have been increased to keep up with the trend of hike in crude oil prices in the global market.

The petroleum ministry has enhanced the price of light diesel oil (LDO) by Rs three per litre and that of kerosene oil by Rs 5.19 per litre. The price of high-speed diesel (HSD) has been hiked by Rs 5.19 per litre and petrol by Rs 2.49 per litre, the government announced.

The new price of HSD has now been fixed at Rs 84.59 per litre, while that of petrol is Rs 75.99 per litre. The new price of kerosene is Rs 53.19 per litre while the new price of LDO stands at Rs 47 per litre.