The recent twin price hikes in petroleum products have been the latest talk of town, but what sparked the Miftah Ismail third petroleum price hike scare? Was it the meme fest that erupted over Twitter soon after the announcement of the twin price hikes was made, PML-N’s business conference held in Islamabad earlier today or just something Miftah Ismail said?
For many hours earlier today, incorrect news about a soon-to-arrive third round of price hikes on petroleum products was trending online as media platforms shared “Petroleum price hikes to see another hike! Rs. 235 it is and will go to Rs. 300 in another 10 days”
Apparently, the misunderstanding arose after the pre-budget conference on Business, Agriculture and IT in Islamabad earlier today where PM Shehbaz Sharif was also present as Chief Guest. It all started when Miftah Ismail also addressed the conference as Finance Minister for the country, and cracked a joke about hike in petrol prices, subsequently laughing at his own joke. However, it appeared that Pakistanis are not so good at taking a joke, when they find themselves to be at the receiving end of it….!🤐
. @MiftahIsmail cracked joke about hike in petrol price and laughed at his own joke. Meanwhile watch the faces of the people in audience.
This government is a joke!! #امپورٹڈ_حکومت_نامنظور pic.twitter.com/ACKPIcexjx
— Jhanzaib (@Jhanzaib_S) June 7, 2022
Following Miftah Ismail’s not-so-harmless joke, a national scare regarding an impending third price hike soon resulted in social media havoc, causing Miftah to give up his sense of humor in no time- take to his Twitter account and immediately issue a clarification clarifying that the petrol-dependent strata of Pakistani public can take a back-seat and relax as no such price hike is going to be implemented!. “There will be no increase in prices today, and there is no summary or plan to raise prices,” the finance minister wrote with utmost sobriety!
In the pre-budget seminar I never even spoke about petroleum prices. Channels running these tickers are doing a disservice to their viewers. There will be no increase in prices today and there is no summary or plan to raise prices.
— Miftah Ismail (@MiftahIsmail) June 7, 2022
