Pakistan Tehreek Insaf leader and former minister Malik Abdul Qayyum on Wednesday criticised a reduction in the petroleum prices by the federal government, terming it "a lollipop".
He said, "The crude oil prices are at their lowest in six years in the international market. Ever since the massive reduction in oil prices in the international market, the govt has never passed on the complete benefit to the general public. Now once again the govt has miserably failed to pass on the full relief to the masses. Presently the rate of GST and excise duty in Pakistan is the highest in the region. As the govt could not bring the rich and the mighty in the tax net and collect the required revenue, it takes refuge in increasing the GST rate to meet the shortfall and now it has raised GST from 16% to 45%. As a matter of fact the govt continues to treat the sale of POL as a cash cow and does not care for the overall impact of imposing such unjustified levies and taxes on petroleum commodities."
He also said after giving this "lollypop" of the slight reduction in the oil prices to the public, "the government has jacked up the rates of the natural gas from 13% to 63% for consumers of different categories". "Foreign loans serve the interest of rulers, capitalists and the privileged elite while the poor has to bear the brunt in the form of excessive indirect taxation on goods and services that only adds to their miseries," he added.
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