ISLAMABAD: The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday severely criticised the government’s latest increase in petroleum prices, saying the move would further burden inflation-hit consumers and accusing the authorities of failing to pass on the benefit of lower international oil prices.
In a statement, PTI spokesman Sheikh Waqas Akram said the increase of Rs13.18 per litre in petrol and Rs13.80 per litre in high-speed diesel, which pushed their prices to Rs310.71 and Rs323.30 per litre, respectively, reflected what he described as the government’s failure to provide relief to the masses.
He alleged that while international oil price declines were not passed on to consumers, increases were quickly reflected in domestic fuel prices.
Comparing the current situation with the PTI government’s tenure, he claimed petrol had remained around Rs150 per litre despite elevated global crude oil prices.
He also criticised the government’s handling of the situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), alleging that additional security personnel had been deployed and communication restrictions imposed ahead of elections.
Reiterating the party’s position, he said PTI would boycott the polls, arguing that elections held under such conditions would not be credible. On the issue of wheat, Akram alleged that the government had mishandled procurement despite claiming a bumper harvest.
He called for a judicial inquiry into what he described as missing wheat stocks and a forensic audit of wheat import decisions.
Commenting on the security situation in Balochistan, he condemned recent militant attacks that claimed the lives of security personnel and said the province required a broader political approach alongside security measures.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026