The increase in gas prices has been affecting our daily lives. Gas is an essential resource that every citizen relies on daily for cooking, and the recent price hikes have raised significant worries among the public.

It is disheartening to witness the continuous surge in gas pric­es, along with simultaneous in­creases in petrol and electricity rates. As citizens, we understand the need for responsible fiscal policies, but the burden of these escalating costs is becoming in­creasingly unbearable for the av­erage household.

I recently read a report that high­lighted the government’s decision to raise gas tariffs by up to 113% for different categories of consum­ers in February as part of a bail­out deal with the IMF. This move was expected to be temporary, but now we are faced with another im­pending 50% increase in gas pric­es as a condition of the short-term IMF loan facility approved in July. This escalation comes at a time when many consumers are al­ready grappling with inflated elec­tricity bills for August.

While I acknowledge the govern­ment’s need to address the grow­ing circular debt in the gas sector, which is currently expanding at a rate of Rs350 billion per year, it is concerning that these financial challenges are disproportionate­ly affecting ordinary citizens. The gas sector’s accumulated debt, in­cluding interest, stands at a stag­gering Rs2.7 trillion, surpassing even the Rs2.4 trillion debt in the power sector chain.

I urge you to consider the im­mense burden these price hikes place on the shoulders of the av­erage citizen. It is my sincere hope that the government can explore alternative solutions to address the gas sector’s financial issues without causing further hardship to the people.

In conclusion, I implore you to take our concerns into account and work towards a solution that eas­es the financial strain on the public while ensuring the long-term sta­bility of the gas sector. We believe in the importance of responsible gov­ernance and trust that our govern­ment will find a way to strike a bal­ance between fiscal responsibility and the well-being of its citizens.

RAHIM DAD,

Turbat.