News
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Opposition demands withdrawal of increase in petrol prices
* Nisar for immediate reversal of POL price hike
* MQM, JUI-F stage token walkout from House
* Asfandyar suggests calling meeting of leaders of all political parties
By Zeeshan Javaid
ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) faced a severe political crisis, opposition and former coalition partners on Monday united on immediate withdrawal of recent mega increase in petroleum prices.
PML-N lawmakers attended the ninth sitting of the 27th session of the National Assembly wearing black armbands in protest against hike in petroleum prices.
Coalition partner of the PPP-led government, the Awami National Party’s chief Asfandyar Wali suggested calling a meeting of parliamentary leaders of all political parties for consultation over the issue.
PML-N’s Sardar Mehtab Abbasi endorsed the viewpoint of the ANP chief and requested adjournment of the House for a day for consultation of parliamentary leaders of all political parties.
However, the MQM and the JUI-F linked their rejoining the PPP-led government with reversal of the government’s decision to increase prices of petroleum products. Speaking on the floor of the House, MQM parliamentary leader Haider Abbas Rizvi said the MQM had decided to sit on opposition benches due to heavy indirect taxation.
He said the MQM warned the government to decrease burden of indirect taxes, including petroleum levy to relieve the common man, but the rulers didn’t take it seriously. The MQM members staged a token walkout from the House with the demand of immediate withdrawal of hike in petroleum prices.
Former minister and JUI-F leader Maulana Attaur Rehman said the government should withdraw its decision on hike in petrol price for its own survival. Later, JUI-F lawmakers staged a token walkout from the House. However, the PML-Q recorded its strong protest against the price hike rather than walkout.
Earlier, opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan condemned the price hike and demanded immediate withdrawal of the decision.
Criticising the government policies, he said the government was in hot water due to imposition of indirect taxes, particularly petroleum levy.
He said petroleum sector was a heavily taxed sector in the country and various taxes were being collected in it under the heads of sales tax, company margin, dealer margin and carriage tax. This government had included a new tax of petroleum levy which was totally unjustified, he said, adding the government was pocketing Rs 100 billion annually from this tax. Federal Petroleum Minister Naveed Qamar said those who were proposing withdrawal of the tax should also suggest the alternative means to meet the budget deficit.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk