LAHORE Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed of the Lahore High Court (LHC) Tuesday issued notices to the chairman Ogra and the federal government on a petition in which the recent nine per cent increase in the petroleum (POL) prices and the notification issued in this respect on December 31 has been challenged. The court also sought a report within a week from the chairman Ogra and the government on the question to explain the reasons behind the move. The court was hearing a petition filed by Muhammad Hanif Goraya through his counsel Mateenul Haq Advocate seeking withdrawal of the notification. Earlier, the judge heard the petitioners arguments in detail and later admitted the petition for regular hearing. The petitioner prayed for an interim stay against the implementation of the impugned notification and its ultimate withdrawal. The counsel argued that the latest raise in the POL prices would increase prices of essential daily use items, adding to the woes of the poor who were already hit hard by price hike and poverty. The Ogra on December 31 had made Rs6.71 per litre increase in the petrol price which jacked up to Rs79.69 per litre and Rs4.30 in diesel which went up to Rs82.58 per litre while also raising the kerosene oil the price to Rs82.58 with an increase of Rs4.04 per litre price.