LAHORE: Justice Ayesha A Malik of the Lahore High Court (LHC) issued a notice to the federal government on an application challenging recent increase in prices of petroleum products and the decision to review the change of petroleum products prices on fortnightly instead of monthly bases.
The court sought a reply from the government until February 10.
The application was moved on behalf of the Pakistan Justice Party. Counsel for petitioner Muhammad Azhar Siddique submitted the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) with the connivance of the Finance Ministry, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Prime Minister’s Office was exploiting the public financially.
He said that the ruling PML-N was playing fraud with the nation and had not been telling the truth, as the petroleum prices across the world were on a decreasing trend and its benefit should be passed on to the public.
He requested the court to strike down levy of 17 percent sales tax on petroleum products and also the decision to change petroleum products prices fortnightly instead of monthly bases. He requested the court to declare recent increase in petroleum prices illegal and suspend the notification.
