Supreme Court lawyer challenges recent fuel price hike in Federal Constitution Court

ISLAMABAD: A constitutional petition has been filed before the Federal Constitution Court (FCC) challenging the government's recent decision to increase petrol and diesel prices.

Zulfikar Ahmed Bhutta, an advocate of the Supreme Court, submitted the petition on Tuesday under the newly introduced Article 175E(3). He requested the court to immediately reverse the fuel price hike, arguing that the increase was not justified given the current circumstances.

In his petition, Bhutta stated that Pakistan possesses sufficient petroleum reserves to meet domestic demand until the end of the month. He further argued that there have been no threats from Iran or any other country regarding the suspension of oil supplies to Pakistan, and all shipping routes remain fully operational. "Neither Iran nor any other country has threatened to suspend oil supply to Pakistan and shipping routes remain fully operational," he contended.

Bhutta maintained that, in the absence of any legitimate grounds, the government's decision to raise fuel prices was a "sudden and punitive increase." He emphasized that the timing of the price hike was particularly problematic, as inflation is already impacting household incomes and the prices of essential food items continue to rise. Businesses, he noted, are also facing increased operational costs due to the inflationary environment.

"This sudden increase has forced both consumers and businesses to bear additional financial burdens," Bhutta argued in the petition. He called on the FCC to intervene and order an immediate reversal of the price hike, citing the adverse effects on the general public and the economy.

The petition is among the first to be filed under Article 175E(3), which was recently introduced to allow constitutional challenges of this nature. The court is expected to review the petition in the coming days.