Despite being part of Quad, India sustained pressure: Imran Khan hails fuel price'cut

Islamabad, May 22: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has praised India for not buckling under the "US pressure" and buying the discounted oil from Russia. It comes after Narendra Modi-government the price of petrol by Rs 9.5 per litre and Diesel by Rs 7 per litre on Saturday.

Khan, who had praised India on a few occasions on its foreign policy, slammed Pakistan Muslim League (N)-led government for "running around like a headless chicken with the economy in a tailspin".

"Despite being part of the Quad, India sustained pressure from the US and bought discounted Russian oil to provide relief to the masses. This is what our govt was working to achieve with the help of an independent foreign policy," the former Pakistan Prime Minister tweeted while retweeting an information about reduction of the petrol and diesel prices in India.

Imran Khan added "Mir Jafars and Mir Sadiqs" bowed to the external pressure forcing a regime change, and "are now running around like a headless chicken with the economy in a tailspin." "For our govt, Pakistan's interest was supreme but unfortunately the local Mir Jafars & Mir Sadiqs bowed to external pressure forcing a regime change, and are now running around like a headless chicken with the economy in a tailspin," the former PM tweeted.

The government on Saturday cut excise duty on petrol by a record Rs 8 per litre and that on diesel by Rs 6 per litre to give relief to consumers from high fuel prices that have also pushed inflation to a multi-year high. The excise duty cut will translate into a reduction of Rs 9.5 a litre on petrol and Rs 7 a litre in diesel after taking into account its impact on other levies.

Over the fuel rate cuts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that people are the first priority for his government. "It is always people first for us! Today's decisions, especially the one relating to a significant drop in petrol and diesel prices will positively impact various sectors, provide relief to our citizens and further 'Ease of Living'," tweeted PM Modi.