Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front (PIAF) has criticized the government for making "bulk" increase of Rs 5.97 per litre in petrol & Rs 4.50 per litre in diesel prices in one-go while 2% increase in electricity tariff and termed it a very bad news for the country's economy which was already facing a number of challenges. In a statement issued on Monday, the PIAF Acting Chairman ShahzebAkram while strongly reacting on this anti-industry and anti-masses decision, said that government did not ever bother to pass on the benefit of decrease of oil prices in international market and earned billion rupees, which was a sheer injustice and now again made a huge raise. They said that PIAF had for the last many months been calling on the concerned government circles to take measures for the promotion ofalternate fuels as trade deficit was fast widening due to heavy imports under the head of petroleum products. They said that the timeline for the increase in the prices of petroleum products was also raising questions. They said that at a time when the whole industry was suffering due to energy crisis and high cost of doing business, the raise in POL prices was bound to give a further blow to the industry. PIAF Acting Chairman demanded of the government remove unnecessary taxes and duties from petroleum products right now otherwise industry would be collapsed within no time.