Government Has Failed to Address Public Issues, Says Rana Zahid Tauseef

Senior politician and former Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Petroleum Rana Zahid Tauseef has said the country is facing multiple crises and the government has failed to address growing public problems.

Expressing concern over the ongoing transporters’ strike, Tauseef said the three-day shutdown had begun affecting industrial activities, leaving thousands of workers without employment while daily-wage earners were facing severe hardship.

He termed the government’s policies for running the country “strange and incomprehensible,” particularly the practice of determining petroleum prices on a daily basis. He said frequent fluctuations in fuel prices had created uncertainty among transporters, businesses and the general public.

Tauseef said a transporter who fills a tanker with fuel worth Rs10,000 could face serious difficulties during long-distance journeys to destinations such as Islamabad, Skardu and Gilgit if fuel prices continued to change during the trip.

He called for a mechanism under which petroleum prices should be reviewed at intervals of at least 15 days or one month, taking into account fluctuations in the international market, rather than being revised on a daily basis.

He also expressed concern over reports that petrol pump owners were considering a strike due to reduced commission margins. He criticized the government for repeatedly claiming that “everything is fine” while people were facing worsening economic and energy-related problems.

Tauseef said government publicity campaigns could not conceal the ground realities, adding that the situation appeared to be portrayed as if the country had entered an era of prosperity, while the public continued to face serious difficulties.

He also criticized prolonged electricity and gas load-shedding, saying it contradicted the government’s claims of having surplus electricity.

Tauseef urged the government to “wake up” and take emergency measures to address the growing problems of the people instead of imposing policies based on its own preferences. He stressed that immediate steps were needed to resolve the transport crisis and provide relief to workers, businesses and ordinary citizens.