The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), on Monday forwarded a summary to the Prime Minister to ratchet up the prices of petroleum products, effective April 1, by about Rs.8. This must be a cruel joke by an utterly incompetent organisation, that just weeks ago were behind an unprecedented petrol crisis, thus causing untold miseries. Now this nefarious organisation is trying to fool the public by suggesting a raise in the price, while in the international market oil prices keep falling. A couple of days ago the oil price per barrel was $ 51 and now has fallen to $ 48 and it might fall even further, so what could be the reason for any rise in petrol price?
There is none. OGRA wants to make money to cover their losses and huge unprecedented corruption and that is why they are putting a burden on the common man. We appeal to the government to reject this summary and keeping in mind the interest of the people. When oil was $104 per barrel, petrol was being sold for Rs 106 per liter and now that the price has fallen by 54% the relief provided to us is only 26%, can any intelligent person ask the government why? It is the foremost task of any government to serve the people and not to make their lives miserable.
ALI ASHRAF KHAN,
Karachi, March 31.