OUR STAFF REPORTER LAHORE The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) and Sui Northern Gas Pipeline (SNGPL) through their respective reply to a petition against the increase in the POL prices urged the Bench of LHC Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed Friday that the case may be dismissed as not maintainable as the petitioner has alternative remedy to agitate the issue before the authorities in terms of Section 12 (2) of the Orga Ordinance 2002. They said, before invoking the jurisdiction of the high court, the petitioner should approach departmental authorities as an alternative remedy under section 12(2) of Ogra ordinance 2002 to agitate POL prices. About slab rates of Sui gas, the petitioner had a remedy of filing review under rule 16 of natural gas tariff rules 2002, the counsel for the SNGPL argued before the court. At this petitioners counsel sought time from the court to prepare his arguments in this regard and the court put off the hearing. Muhammad Hanif Goraya, consumer rights forum Pakistan general secretary, filed the petition saying the respondents increased POL prices by 10 per cent despite the matter was subjudice before the court. He said the act of the government was cruelty and tyranny on the already crushed and downtrodden people of Pakistan. He said the highly inflated POL prices will increase the burden on the people. The poor were left with no option but to commit suicide whereas the leaders were not reducing their expenditures and the country was being run on foreign loans. He prayed to the court that the respondents be directed to withdraw the impugned notification and status quo be granted in the interest of public at large. He also prayed that a notification with regard to increase in slab rates of domestic gas be set aside and old rates be restored.