Pakistan: Opposition says announcement of oil price reduction by Imran Khan is out of fear of Awami March
Mar 01, 2022
Islamabad [Pakistan], March 1 : After Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday announced a reduction of up to Rs 10 per litre in petrol and diesel, opposition leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that "Kaptaan" panicked because of Awami March and thus made the decision.
Amid political and economic turmoil in Pakistan, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Tuesday unveiled the route of anti-govt 'Awami March' against Imran Khan-led PTI government.
Notably, Imran Khan along with the announcement in petrol and diesel prices, also said that the prices of electricity tariff will also be brought down by up to Rs 5 per unit.
While addressing the nation Imran Khan unveiled a relief package for the nationals including the reduction in petrol prices, power tariff, tax exemptions for the IT sector and others.
Pakistan is facing a dire economic situation and the opposition sees Imran Khan's announcement as a hasty move made in fear of the long march that the opposition has planned against the ruling government.
Not just Bilawal's PPP, but major opposition parties have described Prime Minister Imran Khan's announcement on Monday to reduce the prices as a "futile and desperate last-ditch attempt" to save his government, reported Dawn.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Awami National Party (ANP) leaders, echoing the same sentiments said that the government made this move under pressure. They said Imran Khan is fearful of the long march and the no-confidence motion.
As Pakistan is already grappled with a severe economic crisis and in view of this, the opposition parties have termed these relief measured as insufficient.
Calling it a speech by a "terrified and defeated person", they said it was PM's "last address" to the nation, reported Dawn.
Marriyum Aurangzeb, PML-N information secretary said, "The PTI government had increased electricity tariff by Rs15 per unit over the past three years and reduced it by Rs5 to fool the nation."
"Over the past three years, the price of petrol was jacked up by Rs70 per litre by the PTI. Still, desperate to save his job, Imran was using the eyewash of reducing it by just Rs10 per litre," she added.
