New petrol price hike Dar's gift to Maryam: Elahi.

LAHORE -- The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and its ally PML-Q have strongly condemned the increase in petrol prices at a time when the poor masses are already facing 50 years of the highest inflation under the government of incapable Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leaders. They called the increase in prices the launch of a 'petrol bomb' on the masses.

In a tweet, PTI Chairman Imran Khan chided the PDM government, saying that the corrupt and incompetent imported government's complete mismanagement of the economy had crushed the masses and salaried class with the latest hike in petrol and diesel prices and the Rs33 per dollar devaluation to Rs262.6 per dollar.

'Electricity and gas price hike as well as 35 per cent unprecedented inflation expected with Rs200bn mini-budget,' he tweeted.

Former chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi said Ishaq Dar raised petrol prices by Rs35 per litre to give a `gift' to Maryam Nawaz on her return from London.

'The credit for increasing petrol prices goes to Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz,' he said, adding that the monster of inflation had gone out of control, while the PML-N government was busy victimizing PTI and PML-Q leaders.

In a series of tweets, Mr Chaudhry said the law and order had been shattered and the crime rate was increasing, besides the poor situation of governance in the province. He said job opportunities, created due to development projects, were also vanishing.

'Unemployment will increase in the government of Mohsin Naqvi,' Mr Elahi stated.

Stating that the price hike has gone out of control, the former chief minister said the country was heading towards default. He said the nation had rejected the imported government rulers, who had forced the masses to fall into the death trap of poverty.

Meanwhile, Mr Elahi spoke with former interior minister retired Brig. Ijaz Shah, who paid him a visit at his residence, about the country's political situation and deteriorating economic situation.

In a media talk at Zaman Park, PTI central Punjab president Dr Yasmin Rashid strongly condemned the massive increase in petrol prices and called it a 'petrol bomb'. She demanded that the increase be withdrawn forthwith.

Asserting that the PDM government was continuously robbing the masses of their hard-earned meager income, Dr Rashid said PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz, soon after landing in Pakistan, urged the masses to have trust in Ishaq Dar, who in return increased petrol prices by Rs35 per litre.

'The PDM is...