The government late on Friday increased petroleum prices by Rs4 per litre for the first half of January 2022, according to a statement issued by the Finance Division. The government has raised the prices of both petrol and high-speed diesel by Rs4 per litre.

“PM Imran Khan rejected the proposal of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority for an increase in prices of petroleum products and advised to increase only Rs4 per litre,” read the statement.

In a statement shared by the PPP in a series of tweets, Bilawal said that the government has given the New Year “gift” to the people by increasing the POL prices.

“PM Imran Khan had made a tall claim that 2021 will be the year of prosperity, now 2022 has come, where did that claim of prosperity go?” he said, “Every year in Naya Pakistan proved to be more expensive than last year and then [they] say previous governments were incompetent.”

Bilawal claimed that the PPP faced the “worst global economic crisis” during its tenure, but it did not allow the people to bear the burden of inflation.

“The federal government should immediately reduce the prices of petroleum products in line with world market prices,” the PPP chairman said.