ISLAMABAD - Pakistan People’s Party Vice-President Senator Sherry Rehman yesterday criticised the government for increasing gas price.

In a statement, she said the government had hit the common man hard by allowing hike in gas rates.

“The government has no concern for the public. This is another example of bad governance,” she said.

Earlier, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority allowed the Sui Southern Gas Company Limited to receive 5.4 percent more charges from gas consumers to recover its multi-billion rupees shortfall.

OGRA notified a 5.4 percent increase in prescribed gas price and fixed it at Rs778.59/mmbtu for SSGCL to recover Rs14.27 billion shortfall in estimated revenue requirement for the financial year 2020-21 including prior year shortfall of Rs50.983 billion. It also allowed the gas utility to increase the gas meter rent from Rs20 per month to Rs40 per month from domestic consumers.

Sherry Rehman said the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf-led government had increased the gas rates by 340 percent during the last two and a half years.

“Instead of providing subsidy to the government, the government is crushing the common man,” she said.