Petroleum Price Hikes on a Daily Basis Will Place Additional Burden on Public: Khurram Nawaz Gandapur

The government treats the public as customers rather than citizens.
A transparent mechanism for determining petroleum prices should be introduced.
Selling petrol purchased 25 days earlier at newly increased prices raises serious questions, says PAT Secretary General.

Secretary General of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, has expressed serious concern over the government's decision to increase petroleum prices on a daily basis. He said that the government appears to view the people not as citizens of the state, but merely as "customers," an approach that is fundamentally inconsistent with the principles of a welfare state.

He stated that petroleum products are purchased at the prevailing international market prices, and it typically takes around 20 to 25 days for these shipments to arrive in Pakistan. Therefore, a legitimate question arises: How can fuel that was purchased weeks earlier be sold at newly increased prices? He urged the government to provide the nation with a transparent and satisfactory explanation on this issue.

Khurram Nawaz Gandapur said that the frequent or daily increases in the prices of petrol, diesel, and other essential fuels are imposing an unbearable burden on the public, as well as on the industrial, agricultural, commercial, and transport sectors. He noted that these increases have a direct impact on inflation, the prices of essential commodities, and the purchasing power of ordinary citizens.

He further said that the government's responsibility extends beyond merely collecting revenue; it also has a duty to provide economic security to its citizens. If the public does not receive immediate relief when international oil prices decline, but is made to bear the burden as soon as prices rise, it reflects a clear double standard and is unfair to the people.

He called on the government to review its policy of adjusting petroleum prices on a daily basis, introduce a transparent and equitable pricing mechanism for petroleum products, and take immediate practical measures to protect the public from the relentless burden of rising inflation.