Former Information Minister and PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry has urged citizens of Karachi to protest against the latest petrol hike outside MQM-P’s office.
In an unprecedented move, the PML-N-led government again raised petrol prices last night. Pertinent to mention that on Tuesday, the Federal government had said that it would keep the petrol prices unchanged after increasing the price on May 27th.
The public was already against the May 27th price hike as it put a massive inflationary burden on them. However, last night, the government took a U-turn, and again increased the prices by Rs. 30.
Read more: Video: Pakistan finance minister won’t like to see his statement on petrol
Needless to say, the public is furious. Protests have broken out in Karachi. Citizens even attacked a petrol pump near Purani Sabzi Mandi in Karachi’s Central District. The angry citizens pelted stones and vandalized the pump.
Reacting to the protest, Fawad Chaudhry criticised the increase in the prices of petroleum products, asking the people why are they damaging petrol pumps in protest instead they should direct their anger toward MQM-P.
“Why are Karachi citizens damaging petrol pumps? You should protest in front of the offices of MQM, with whose help and support this storm of inflation came, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Aminul Haq, and Faisal have to pay the price of free petrol to the people of Karachi and Pakistan,” Fawad Chaudhry tweeted.
کراچی کے شہری پٹرول پمپوں کو نقصان کیوں پہنچا رہے ہیں؟ آپ کو MQM کے دفاتر کے سامنے احتجاج کرنا چاہئے جن کی مدد اور حمائیت سے مہنگائ کا یہ طوفان آیا ، خالد مقبول صدیقی، امین الحق اور فیصل کو مفت پٹرول کی قیمت کراچی اور پاکستان کے عوام کو دینی پڑ رہی ہے #امپورٹڈ_حکومت_نامنظور
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) June 3, 2022
PTI’s sour ties with MQM
Important to note that MQM-P used to be an alliance of PTI when it was in governance. However, ahead of the controversial no-confidence motion against former Prime Minister Imran Khan, MQM-P, which had assured PTI of support, deserted PTI.
Federal Ministers belonging to MQM-P also resigned from their posts towards the forceful end of PTI tenure. Later, MQM-P Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui announced that his party had decided to develop a “working relationship” with the then joint Opposition. MQM-P abandoning PTI resulted in the latter losing the majority in the Lower House.
Read more: Farooq Sattar thrashes MQM-P for leaving PTI
Needless to say, relations between PTI and MQM-P have turned sour since then. The two political parties have also traded barbs and appear to be on a collision path.