The Prime Ministers shameful retreat on Thursday on the issue of rise in the prices of petroleum products, effected only last week, was the ninth such retraction by the government during the past three years. But every time, it has left a bad taste in the mouth, as it has failed to undo the ill-effects of a corresponding hike in the prices of other commodities and services of common use that had inevitably resulted from the shooting up of pivotal products prices. In the latest instance, though the transporters have reportedly stated they would take back the increase in fares, one would have to see whether they really revert to the previous level. The government should know that the people are not unmindful of the inflation that keeps spiralling upwards. At the same time, when Mr Gilani was making the announcement about the reduction, the LPG, ghee and several other essential goods became costlier. The railway fares went up by five to 25 percent, electricity is billed to become dearer every month and similar would be the case with other services. Thus, the impact of the much hyped reduction would be minimal and the purpose of the IMF that the government was all-out to serve would be fulfilled through a different trick. The reversal meets one of the demands contained in the ultimatum of Mian Nawaz Sharif, though the credit has been claimed by the MQM and duly given to it by Mr Gilani. And with that the MQM, which had initiated the parting of the ways with the government after Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza had accused it orchestrating target killings in Karachi, has consented to come back on the Treasury Benches, though yet remaining outside the federal cabinet till, perhaps, it has seen the fate of Mr Gilanis assurances about its other demands. Simultaneously with the MQM-PPP reconciliation, the PML-Ns hopes of routing the government or compelling it to go by its agenda have come to naught, as the MQM support would convert the current minority status of the ruling coalition back to a majority government. The most outrageous reaction to the retraction of the price increase has come from the US, with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton having the temerity of terming it a mistake. Apart from the fact that the Foreign Office should lodge a strong protest with the State Department for this totally uncalled-for interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan, it is noteworthy that the reaction establishes, if at all there was any doubt about it in the minds of some American friends, the point that the US is indifferent to the plight of the common run of people in Pakistan. It is only keen to see the implementation of its protg international financial institution, IMF. Thus, all its claims about long-lasting, strategic partnership with Pakistan fall flat.