JUI-F urges govt to decrease POL prices

The JUI-F has criticised the recent reduction in petroleum prices, calling it insufficient and "too little to make any real difference". It has also urged the government to prioritize public welfare when making economic decisions. In a statement issued on Saturday, party spokesperson Aslam Ghauri said such decisions are inevitable when rulers think like traders. "The government cites global market trends when increasing prices but refers to IMF constraints when reducing them. Such policies are unacceptable to the nation," he said. Amid a war in the Gulf that coincided with the closure of the crucial Strait of Hormuz, the government announced a phenomenal rise in fuel prices. However, after the ceasefire announcement, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday announced a Rs135 per litre reduction in the price of high-speed diesel (HSD) but only a Rs12 per litre decrease in the price of petrol, which is used in private vehicles. Ghauri also announced that the party will hold a major public rally in Mardan today (Sunday). According to spokesperson Ghauri, hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend the gathering to express their sentiments against government policies. "JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman will address the conference, along with other central and provincial leaders," he said.