Ever increasing Petrol Prices

And once again the petrol prices in Pakistan hiked up by Rs5.92 to Rs62.13 per litre, that of HOBC by Rs8.50 to Rs78.78, and of light diesel by Rs6.94 to Rs54.94. What is the general public supposed to do? How are we supposed to get more money to pay off our bills?Everything is already so expensive. Everyone is simply out there to make money, either by hook or crook.

According a local newspaper, “Petrol pumps in different parts of the country stopped sale on Tuesday after the government announced an increase in prices with effect from Wednesday. The unexpected closure left motorists and transporters without fuel in several cities and towns and people were seen dragging motorbikes and pushing cars. And the small number of pumps which did remain open struggled to cope with long queues of vehicles as people tried to fill the tank at the old price.”

The suggestion made by the Ministry of Petroleum to increase prices was approved by the Prime Minister on the basis that the international oil prices have increased during the last month (June) and for the knowledge of the layman, our prices are set based on the average international prices in the previous month. We are so helpless in front of all the actions taken by the government. The worst part is that the people in our country don’t even understand why the government is taking such actions. The government has also taxed the petroleum products with a vampire called “Carbon Tax” which again the general public does not know about.

Carbon tax is an environmental tax on emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. This carbon tax is often linked with global warming. What I and many others don’t understand is when we are not even doing anything to prevent global warming, why are we being charged for it? If USA is charging its people with a carbon tax, it’s understandable because the people know where their money is going, but what about us?

People in some well established areas like DHA and Yasinabad are paying water taxes when they don’t even get water from the direct lines and have to resort to water tankers and bored-water, then how can the government expect us to pay a tax for carbon emission and not complain about it?

Anyway, once again we should get ready for an increase in the prices of all food and non-food items. The inflation rate for this month according to the ministry of finance is already 14.7% [source: http://www.finance.gov.pk/finance_blog/?p=53] and God knows what it would be soon after.

The only thing I’m concerned about is the increase in crime rate this inflation would bring. If people can’t earn enough bread for their family, then they either resort to suicide or to committing crime which would mean more families without bread earners, more mobile snatching, more thugs raiding our houses, and more car-lifting.

We can only hope that things become better one day and Pakistan becomes a peaceful place to live in where the government is a part of the public and not just a machine squeezing money out of its people.