Former finance minister Miftah Ismail today launched a sharp critique of the federal government’s economic decisions after the Petroleum Division once again notified higher petrol and diesel prices for one more week.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), he said that Thursday’s fuel bomb has once again left the general public at a disadvantage, while various influential sectors have emerged as beneficiaries.
He said ordinary citizens consistently bear the burden while only powerful groups benefit from policy changes.
Miftah argued that oil marketing companies have gained from petrol price adjustments, while refineries have benefited from diesel pricing trends. He added that fertilizer companies continue to profit from higher urea prices, whereas farmers are left under pressure.
He further pointed to previous episodes, including the sugar sector, where consumers were affected by price increases, and wheat procurement periods, during which he claimed that middlemen and stockists gained more than farmers.
The former minister also criticized government expenditure patterns, stating that political elites, ministers, parliamentarians, and senior bureaucrats continue to enjoy rising benefits, while taxpayers face increasing financial strain.
Miftah said this repeated pattern has prevented meaningful relief for the average Pakistani and this is why real incomes have declined compared to 2014 levels.