Imran Khan praises India again, calls Pakistan govt 'insensitive' after hike in petrol, diesel prices

While invoking the name of India, former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan yet again slammed the Shehbaz Sharif government after the federal government hiked the petrol and diesel prices by PKR 30 per litre. While criticising the government, the Imran said this "insensitive government" has not pursued the deal made by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party with Russia for 30 per cent cheaper oil. He went on to praise India, saying strategic ally of the US has managed to reduce fuel prices by PKR 25 per litre by buying cheaper oil from Russia.

"Nation starting to pay the price for Imported govt’s subservience before foreign masters with 20% /Rs30 per litre hike in petrol and diesel prices - the highest single price hike in our history. The incompetent & insensitive Govt has not pursued our deal with Russia for 30% cheaper oil," Imran Khan said in a tweet."

In contrast, India, strategic ally of the US, has managed to reduce fuel prices by PKR 25 per litre by buying cheaper oil from Russia. Now our nation will suffer another massive dose of inflation at the hands of this cabal of crooks," he said in another tweet.

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Pakistan on Thursday raised the prices of petroleum products by PKR 30 per litre, stating that the decision was taken to ensure the revival of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme. The price of petrol will be at PKR 179.86, diesel at PKR 174.15, kerosene oil at PKR 155.56 and light diesel at PKR 148.31, the Dawn newspaper reported.

Pakistan’s Finance Minister Miftah Ismail made the announcement at a press conference in Islamabad where he said the government had no other option but to raise the prices, adding that "we are still bearing a loss of PKR 56 per litre on diesel" even under the new pricing.

Admitting that Shehbaz Sharif’s government was aware of the political repercussions of the decision, he added, "we will face criticism but the state and its interests are important to us and it is necessary for us to save it."

Furthermore, Ismail said Pakistan could have gone in the "wrong direction" if the steps were not taken. The decision was a tough one for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, he added.

This price hike came after talks between the Pakistan government and IMF in Doha.These discussions were aimed at reaching an agreement on policies at the conclusion of the IMF’s seventh review of its USD 6 billion programme for Pakistan, which has been stalled since early April.

According to media reports, the IMF has made the resumption of the programme conditional on the reversal of fuel and energy subsidies introduced by the previous PTI government, which have been termed unsustainable.