Pakistan PTI Lawmakers Ride Donkey Carts to Assembly in Protest Over Soaring Fuel Prices

Lawmakers and workers from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) staged an unusual demonstration in Pakistan's Sindh province, arriving at the provincial assembly by riding donkey carts to protest against soaring fuel prices. According to reports from Dawn news, the protest followed a steep price hike that brought petrol to Rs 390.79 per litre and high-speed diesel to Rs 424.92 per litre after a recent price adjustment.

PTI Provincial Assembly Member Sajjad Ali, alongside other party lawmakers and supporters, rode the carts from areas near the assembly building to the main entrance. Participants carried placards and chanted slogans directed against federal economic policies. During the demonstration, Ali described the sharp fuel price increase as a petrol bomb dropped on ordinary citizens, arguing that the public was bearing the heavy brunt of government decisions.

In video footage from the protest, Ali asserted that ministers and treasury members of the provincial assembly should also travel to the legislature on donkey carts to experience the struggles of everyday commuters. He emphasized that the protest was organized to draw attention to the widespread financial difficulties faced by citizens who can no longer afford to operate standard motor vehicles.

The sharp upward revision in fuel prices is tied to broader economic pressures, including renewed hostilities in the Middle East that have disrupted major international oil supply routes and pushed fuel costs higher over the preceding two months. Current retail fuel prices incorporate significant government taxes and duties, amounting to Rs 114 per litre on petrol and Rs 100 per litre on diesel. Compounding public frustration, the administration has shifted to daily fuel price adjustments.

The mounting costs have drawn criticism from various professional bodies, including the Pakistan Bar Council. During a joint meeting of its Executive Committee and Rules Committee, the council condemned the unprecedented price spikes and urged the government to implement effective price controls and provide meaningful relief to citizens.

In response to the growing public discontent, the federal government rolled out a targeted relief scheme aimed at users of two- and three-wheelers—such as motorcycles, rickshaws, and Qingqis—as well as owners of small cars with engines up to 800cc. Under the program, eligible motorcycle and rickshaw operators are slated to receive relief on 20 litres of petrol per month, while qualifying small car owners can receive a Rs 100-per-litre reduction on up to 30 litres monthly.

However, the rollout of the digital subsidy scheme encountered immediate administrative hurdles on its first day of implementation. Several petrol pumps across the country reportedly refused to accept the newly introduced digital application, citing a lack of the necessary technological infrastructure required to dispense fuel at the subsidized rate.

Alongside the subsidy initiative, the federal government reinstated several austerity measures, instructing markets to close by 9 PM and slashing fuel allocations for official government vehicles by 50 percent for a three-month duration. As fuel costs remain elevated, opposition lawmakers and legal bodies continue to pressure federal authorities for more comprehensive economic safeguards.