Netizens are demanding to cut the free fuel and other allowances to the high-ranking state officials following an extreme hike in petrol prices on Friday. PMLN government had raised the prices by Rs.30 taking up the price of per liter petrol to Rs.180 from Rs.150.
On Thursday, the government again raised the prices of petroleum products. The new petrol price has reached approximately Rs.210 with the recent hike. A new wave of inflation is expected to hit Pakistan with the following fuel price hike.
A large number of social media users are calling for immediate measures to lift the burden of fuel price hikes from the middle and lower-income classes. A collective call has been made to cut the allowance of free petrol to high-ranking state officials in all the sectors. Netizens believe every class should equally share the burden of supporting the economy.
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حکومت کے وزراء جج صاحبان اعلیٰ فوجی اور سول افسران قوم سے یکجہتی دیکھائیُ اور اپنے پٹرول الاؤنسز معطل کر دیں، جب تک قیمتیں واپس نہیں آتیں اعلیٰ عہدوں پر براجمان لوگ عوام کی تکلیف میں حصہ دار بنیں، علامتی طور پر عوام کے ساتھ نظر تو آائیں آپ کے دورے ہی ختم نہیں ہو رہے
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) June 3, 2022
پٹرول کی قیمت کے اضافہ کی وجہ سے عوام پر پڑے بوجھ کو مدنظر رکھتے ہوے وزیراعظم، چیف جسٹس، آرمی چیف اور دوسرے ریاستی ذمہ دار اپنے اپنے دائرہ کار میں سرکاری پیسہ اور وسائل کی بچت کے لیے فوری اقدامات اُٹھائیں اور قوم کو بتائیں کہ کہاں کہاں اور کیسے بچت کی جا رہی ہے۔ قربانی سب دیں۔ https://t.co/MOyhFBt6bf
— Ansar Abbasi (@AnsarAAbbasi) June 3, 2022
💯 agree#مفت_پٹرول_ختم_کرو pic.twitter.com/NgJkulUsux
— A……R (@Abdurrrazzaq649) June 3, 2022
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A social media trend is calling for ‘end free petrol’. Some notable journalists have also joined the social media campaign calling for the immediate end of fuel allowances to high-state ranking officials be it in the judiciary, bureaucracy, or military. Netizens also add to the list politicians and serving legislatures as well.
“Don’t put all the burden on the people. Minister Adviser Judge General Bureaucrats Politicians, MNAs, MPAs all free petrol. Federal and provincial governments collect taxes from the rich and spend on the poor,” said journalist Ansar Abbasi.
Govt needs to remove all free petrol, free utilities, free telephone for state, juridical, armed forces employees. They should sacrifice the way Pakistani Awam has been asked to sacrifice. Why isn’t @imf_pakistan asking to remove these freebies as part of their discussions?
— Najma Minhas (@MinhasNajma) June 3, 2022
“I strongly urge the Prime Minister that in the most difficult of circumstances, it is imperative that the fuel provided to the Federal Government, including the Cabinet and officers above Grade 1, be stopped or significantly reduced. This decision should be initiated by the Federal Cabinet @MiftahIsmail @CMShehbaz,” said MQM-Pakistan leader Faisal Sabzwari in his tweet.