Pakistan senator protests Imran Khan govt's fuel rate hike by reaching Parliament on cycle

Marking his protest against the hiking petrol prices in the country, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senator Bahramand Khan Tangi arrived at the Parliament on a bicycle on Friday, 5 November. Tangi arrived at the Parliament house on a bicycle after the Imran Khan-led government increased petrol and diesel prices overnight. As per the Samaa TV report, Tangi called on people to flood the streets to demonstrate against the petroleum price hike that according to him, is an “inflation bomb dropped over 220 million Pakistanis in the dead of the night.”

"I cannot afford petrol despite being a Parliamentarian. Today, people need to come out of their homes to demand rights," he was quoted by the media outlet as saying. PPP senator also said that apart from petrol, even sugar and ghee prices had also been increased to their new high. An assistant helped Tangi to ride the bicycle as he passed through the barriers and gates at the Parliament House. He took the step after the Pakistan government, through a late-night notification, informed that the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel were increased by PKR 8.14 per litre. 

The petrol prices hike came after PPP and the Pakistan Democratic Alliance, an opposition conglomerate, separately announced demonstrations against the Imran Khan-led government. Reportedly, the isolated protests and public gatherings have not impacted a change in government’s policies till now.

‘Every day dawns with horrible news’

Pakistan Muslim League (N) President and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif also lashed out at the Imran Khan-led government. “Another petrol bomb exploded on the masses in the dead of night,” ARY News quoted Sharif as saying. Taking to Twitter, Sharif said, “This is IK's [Prime Minister Imran Khan] way of providing "relief" after giving a long sermon yesterday. Unfortunately, every day dawns with horrible news for the people.”

The party president added that the government also gave the public an “inflation package.” Dawn quoted Sharif as saying, “The government is about to increase inflation by raising the petroleum levy on the orders of IMF which is cruel. The government has also given in to the IMF's conditions for increasing electricity tariffs. The government has given the public an 'inflation package'. The nation is asking: these are the good days they (PTI government) have brought?”

(IMAGE: Twitter/PTI/AP)