Hike in fuel prices stirring protests in Pakistan's Sindh province

Resenting the hike in fuel prices in Pakistan, protest rallies and dharnas were carried out in parts of Sindh, Pakistan's vernacular media reported.

The protestors said a rise in petrol price will only lead to steeper inflation making the life of lower strata people more miserable. The protestors also threatened to intensify the stir if measures were not taken to control this spiralling inflation.

For the third time in 20 days, Pakistan has increased fuel prices by up to 29 per cent and eliminated fuel subsidies in the country, the Dawn newspaper reported.

The prices of petrol have increased by 84 rupees per litre and diesel by 119 rupees per litre, reported Pakistan's vernacular media.

The country's Finance Minister Miftah Ismail made the announcement on Wednesday, saying that the move is to reduce the fiscal deficit and revive loan support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The prices of high-speed diesel (HSD), petrol, kerosene, and light diesel oil (LDO) have gone up by a massive 83pc, 56pc, 73pc, and 68.4pc respectively, since May 26.

On Wednesday Ismail announced that the ex-depot price of high-speed diesel (HSD) has been fixed at PKR 263.31 per litre, jumping 83 per cent since May 26 from PKR 144.15 per litre.

The price of petrol jumped to PKR 233.79 from PKR 209.86 per litre, increasing by 56 per cent from PKR 149.86 per litre before May 27.

The price of kerosene has been fixed at PKR 211.43 per litre, jumping 73 per cent since May 26 from PKR 118.31 per litre.

Also, the ex-depot price of light diesel oil has been set at PKR 207.4 per litre, increasing 68.5 per cent from PKR 125.56 per litre in May.

Since the Shehbaz Sharif government has come to power in Pakistan, the daily essentials are getting costly and have become out of reach of the common man due to recent hikes in petrol prices and power tariffs, a local media report stated. The Russia-Ukraine war has also fuelled inflation at the global level, leaving the people of Pakistan in misery.