Nawaz Sharif irked over petrol price hike before his planned return

The petrol price hike has outraged Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid Nawaz Sharif as it affected its planned return to Pakistan expected in September.

Sources told News360 that Nawaz Sharif expressed outrage over PML-N President and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for hiking the petrol price before his planned return to Pakistan.

Speculations are being made that Nawaz Sharif planned to return to Pakistan in September as he pulled his socks up to take control of his political party ahead of fresh elections in the country.

However, Shehbaz Sharif-led government surprisingly increased the petrol price just after the announcement of his return which affected the whole plan, sources added.

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Sources said that the PML-N Quaid was expecting a warm welcome in Pakistan following his return when his political party is in the ruling position.

Nawaz also expected the least from the Shehbaz Sharif government to retain the petroleum products price to maintain some popularity among the nationals, however, the whole plan was destroyed, ending the chances of receiving any support from the masses after another fuel hike by the incumbent government, added the sources.

It is the major backlash of the coalition government led by PML-N after back-to-back failures on the political and economic fronts, whereas, the rival, Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced a mass public campaign in the shape of a series of public gatherings across the country.

‘Good cop, bad cop’ play

Earlier, the top leaders of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif, have played ‘good cop, bad cop’ after the federal government hiked the petrol price once again.

The federal government led by PML-N jacked up the petrol price at the time when the oil prices went down in the global market.

In a late Monday night announcement, the government hiked the petrol price up to Rs6.72 per litre for the remaining days of August 2022. Diesel price was jacked down up to Rs0.51 per litre and kerosine oil rate was also decreased up to Rs1.67 per litre, whereas, the light diesel price was increased by Rs0.43.

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According to the new prices, petrol will now be sold at Rs233.91 per litre, high-speed diesel Rs244.44, kerosine oil Rs199.4 and light diesel at Rs191.75.

PML-N Vice-President and Nawaz Sharif’s daughter, Maryam Nawaz commented on the decision, saying, “Mian Sahib strongly opposed the decision and even said that he could not put the financial burden on the people and if it was the government’s compulsion then he will not become part of the decision. He left the meeting.”

میاں صاحب نے اس فیصلے کی سخت مخالفت کی اور یہاں تک کہ دیا کہ میں مزید ایک پیسے کا بوجھ عوام پر نہیں ڈال سکتا اور اگر حکومت کی کوئی مجبوری ہے تو میں اس فیصلے میں شامل نہیں ہوں اور میٹنگ چھوڑ کر چلے گئے۔ https://t.co/McG019GW6Z

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) August 15, 2022

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry slammed Maryam’s remarks on Twitter and said, “Aww Sweet. The whole family is a drama.”

He said in another tweet, “The increase in the oil prices by this government is not an unusual thing. When this government is not accountable to the people of Pakistan, it would be naive to expect them to prioritise the interest of the masses in its decision-making process.”

حکومت کی طرف سے تیل کی قیمت میں اضافہ کوئ انہونی بات نہیں یہ حکومت،پاکستان کے عوام کو جب جوابدہ ہی نہیں تو ان سے یہ توقع کہ وہ فیصلہ سازی میں عوام کا مفاد سامنے رکھیں گے خام خیالی ہو گی ، اصل جدوجہد عوام کو مقتدر اعلی بنانے کی ہے حقیقی آزادی ہو گی تو عوام کے مفاد میں فیصلے ہوں گے

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) August 15, 2022

Fawad said, “The real struggle is to make the people supreme. If there is real freedom, decisions will be made in the interest of the people.”