The Sindh Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution calling on the federal government to immediately end the practice of increasing petroleum prices on a daily basis, arguing that petrol is not imported or received in new shipments every day to justify such frequent adjustments.
The resolution, moved by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Muhammad Owais, stated that fluctuations in international oil prices should not be passed on to consumers on a daily basis.
It said repeated increases in petrol prices were contributing to inflation and placing an additional burden on the public.
The resolution demanded stability in petroleum prices to provide relief to consumers and called for an immediate end to daily price increases.
It was the second resolution concerning petroleum products adopted during the current session of the provincial assembly.
While speaking on the resolution, Owais also called for the withdrawal of the petroleum levy exceeding Rs100 per litre. The demand was also approved unanimously by the house.
Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon supported the resolution, saying rising petroleum prices had caused distress among the public. He said the federal government was collecting more than Rs100 per litre as petroleum levy and called for its withdrawal.
Memon urged Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), a federal government ally, to raise the issue with the Centre and seek relief for consumers.
Recalling that MQM had previously withdrawn from the Pakistan Peoples Party-led federal government in 2008 over a Re1 increase in petrol prices, Memon questioned why the party’s representatives in the federal cabinet were not speaking out against the current increase in petroleum prices.
He said the PPP fully supported the resolution and called on the federal government to abolish the petroleum levy and reconsider its pricing policy.
Later, speaking to reporters at the assembly’s Media Corner, provincial government spokesperson Sadia Javed said the federal government’s proposed Rs100 subsidy on petrol for certain categories would not provide adequate relief to low-income consumers.
She urged the prime minister to improve the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) performance and reduce the approximately Rs125 per litre tax burden on petrol, saying a direct reduction in prices was necessary to provide meaningful relief.
Javed said petrol was used not only by individual consumers but also by the goods transportation sector. She noted that lower transportation costs were necessary for reducing food prices.
She also criticised Federal Minister Mustafa Kamal over his remarks about politics, saying that anyone opposed to politics should leave the field and resign from public office. She also questioned why he had not resigned over the deaths of children at PIMS Hospital.
During the proceedings, the house rejected an adjournment motion moved by MQM-P MPA Amir Siddiqui regarding the alleged sale of narcotics under flyovers and bridges.
Siddiqui said drugs were being openly sold in such areas and claimed that the issue was also affecting educational institutions, including schools and colleges.
PPP MPA Heer Soho opposed the motion, arguing that an adjournment motion should concern a recent occurrence and that the matter did not meet the required criteria.
The education minister said the assembly’s standing committee on home affairs had already taken up the issue and that action was being taken to address it.
Excise Minister Mukesh Chawala also opposed the motion, saying the issue had already been discussed extensively in the house and that the government was working to curb drug-related activities.
The chair, Dr Sikandar Shoro, ruled that the motion was not maintainable and rejected it.
During Question Hour, Women Development Minister Shaheena Sher Ali said complaint centres were operating at the divisional level across Sindh, while offices had also been established in every district.
She said between five and 15 complaints were received daily and that prompt action was taken on them.
The minister said women were being provided training through a revolving fund, while two day-care centres were operating in Karachi with a specified age limit for admission. She added that awareness campaigns were also being conducted regarding the women’s helpline 1094.
Responding to a question, Sher Ali said there was no day-care centre inside the Sindh Assembly, although one was operating near the Karachi Press Club.
Dr Sikandar Shoro observed that the provincial assembly should also have a day-care facility. The minister said the department could establish one if suitable space was provided.
Several other agenda items, including three resolutions and three private motions submitted by opposition members, could not be taken up as the session was adjourned after the unanimous passage of the resolution concerning the petroleum levy.
The house was adjourned until Friday.
