The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday sought a response from the caretaker government and others on a petition challenging the hike in prices of petroleum products. LHC Justice, Tanveer Sultan took up the plea challenging the recent increase in the prices of petroleum products. After the preliminary hearing, the LHC sought a response from the respondents in the fuel hike case. The plea moved against fuel hike stated that fuel prices have been jacked up massively as compared to the rise in the international market. “The recent fuel hike would lead to a further rise in inflation,” the plea stated.

The petitioner pleaded with the court to declare the recent increase in fuel prices void as there is no mechanism to decide the fuel prices in the country.Earlier, Pakistan’s caretaker government announced hike in the prices of petrol and diesel, taking them to a historic high – over Rs 330 per litre – amidst double-digit inflation in the cash-strapped country.The Ministry of Finance announced the price hike of petrol by Rs 26.02 and diesel by Rs 17.34 per litre following approval from caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar. After the hike, petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) is costing over Rs 330 at the filling stations.

 
Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)