ISLAMABAD, March 2: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal member of the National Assembly, Mian Mohammad Aslam, has criticized the fresh increase in petroleum prices and called for a joint struggle by democratic forces against what he called the anti-people policies to the government.

The MNA in a statement here Wednesday said the recent increase in petroleum prices has belied the government's claims of financial autonomy. He said Pakistan's trade deficit has increased, the increase in oil prices have pushed prices of almost every essential commodity to unprecedented levels, thus adding to the woes of the common man.

Mian Aslam, who is also deputy chief of Punjab chapter of Jamaat-i-Islami, said the MMA had called a meeting of political leaders on March 10 to chalk out a strategy for launching countrywide movement against increase in the POL prices.

Speaking at a workers meeting at his office here on Thursday, he said the next phase of the anti-Musharraf campaign would be started in the federal capital from March 9 and a protest rally would be held on against the removal of the religion column from the passport.