After fuel, PTI leaders fear avalanche of taxes.

LAHORE -- The government's decision to allow a massive increase in petroleum prices drew vehement criticism from the opposition - namely PTI and PML-Q - on Sunday, warning that the 'bombshell' presaged another avalanche of taxes threatening to strike the nation soon.

PTI chairman and former premier Imran Khan berated the petrol price hike, saying that the 'total mismanagement' of the economy by the 'imported government' has 'crushed the masses and salaried class'.

'Electricity and gas price hike and 35% unprecedented inflation expected with Rs200bn mini-budget,' he tweeted.

The people were caught off guard on Sunday morning after Finance Minister Ishaq Dar announced the hike in one go in a brief televised address just 10 minutes before the new prices went into effect at 11am.

While the government continues to try to convince that better days were ahead and skirts the responsibility by asserting that the previous government deserved the blame for the chaos, the opposition sounded alarms that prices were symptomatic of the moribund economy that has hurtled out of the ruling coalition's hands.

The hike came as the rupee value plummeted this week and the country expects an International Monetary Fund (IMF) to visit in a few days to discuss the stalled 9th review of the funding programme.

'Inflation gone out of control'

Slamming the dizzying increase in fuel costs, PML-Q leader Pervaiz Elahi quipped the nation had been greeted with the new prices upon the return of PML-N senior vice president Maryam Nawaz.

He alleged that the credit for the increase in the prices of petroleum products went to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam. 'Inflation has gone out of control, law and order situation has gone worse, crimes have become rampant and administrative governance is also nowhere to be seen.'

In a meeting with former federal interior minister Brigadier (Rtd) Ijaz Shah, Elahi painted a grim portrait of the state of affairs, saying the development projects that were creating employment opportunities were being nixed.

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'The government is pushing the country towards the brink of default. People have rejected those who have trapped the nation in the torment of inflation ... every day people are waking up to a new storm of price hikes under PDM's rule,' he added.

'Another hike to hit nation soon'

PTI's Asad Umar said that the public was already fed up with inflation. 'May Allah have...