LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Punjab Kissan Wing General Secretary Ejaz Shafi has said the Eidul Fitr is round the corner but the sudden storm of inflation and incumbent government’s incompetent policies have dimmed the joy of Eid for ordinary people.

In a statement issued here on Wednesday, Mr Shafi said the common class, which used to celebrate Eid with their children through small relief and savings, had been severely affected by this latest surge in inflation – a level of damage that this ‘incompetent’ government may not even realise.

He said petrol prices had decreased in the global market, yet there had been a major increase in petroleum product prices in Pakistan, which had deeply troubled the common man at the grassroots level.

“The current government may not be aware of the pain of ordinary people, because those who have come to power through a fake mandate cannot truly understand the suffering of the common man,” he maintained.

After petrol and diesel became more expensive, he said, the expenses of transport companies and truck drivers had increased significantly. “Many transport owners say that if the situation continues, they will have to raise fares, which will directly affect the public,” he lamented.

Similarly, he said, the prices of vegetables, fruits, flour, sugar, and other daily necessities were also rising because most goods were transported through the transport sector.

He said factories, delivery services, and online businesses were also facing higher costs, which might increase pressure on business activities too.

The PTI MPA said the government was not taking any serious steps to control inflation, which was pushing the common man toward extreme poverty and hunger. He said that inflation was reducing people’s purchasing power and making it increasingly difficult to fulfill even their basic daily needs.

He stressed that there was an urgent need for the government to take effective measures to control petrol prices so that the public could receive some relief. “If timely decisions are not taken, inflation will continue to rise further and the difficulties of the people will increase even more,” he added.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2026