Press Release
Raising Fuel and Energy Prices, a Blow Directed to the Poor, Will Bounce Back on the Government of the Rich
(Translated)

This government cannot be the government of care that takes care of people's affairs and discharges this care truly, but is a money-collecting government, prevailing over the necks of the people to make them taste poverty and deprivation. And undoubtedly it is like its predecessors; oblivious of the poor any pact of kinship or covenant of protection, treating the problems of people with the disease, so it takes its solutions from the capitalist rotten system that pronounces its last breath in its own country. The government of the rich, commanded by Marshal Al-Sisi, has pursued a bold step enveloped with unprecedented arrogance and pride that will revert to its perish, for the successive governments had long hesitated to cut subsidies in this cruel way.

After the government raised electricity prices it announced to raise fuel prices by up to 78% as of 5th July, which will lead to a significant rise in the rate of inflation in the country which has a current level of 8.2%. According to the new prices, the price of gasoline 92 Octane rose to 2.60 pounds per liter, up 40% from the current price of 1.85 pounds, and the price of gasoline 80 Octane increased to 1.60 pounds per liter, up 78% from the current price of 0.90 pounds. Also the price of gasoline 95 Octane for luxury cars, which represent a small percentage of cars in Egypt, increased to 6.25 pounds per liter, with an increase of 7% from its current level of 5.85 pounds, while diesel will become 1.80 pounds per liter from the price of 1.10 pounds, with an increase of 63%. Whereas the price of natural gas for cars will jump to 1.10 per cubic meter from 0.40 pounds, with an increase of 175%.

Although Sisi said in his television conversations during his election campaign that he cannot pursue the step of lifting subsidies before people get rich. But he carried out the move, heedless of his campaign promises, dependent on that people forget quickly, and on his strength backed by the military institution which he is based on. As well as on the demonstrations law in the suppression of the people and silencing them, forcing them to accept the status quo. Whether such increases will be imposed or will be retracted by Sisi fear of public anger, the people have come to realize that there is no solution to their growing problems except to put Islam into practice correctly. That Islam, and Islam alone, is capable of eradicating poverty completely. This happened under the Islamic Khilafah "Caliphate" at the time of Omar bin Abdul Aziz, which did not happen to any other system, and it will happen again when Islam is implemented in the Khilafah "Caliphate" State. The policy of the economic system in Islam is based on ensuring that all the basic needs of each individual are fully satisfied, and to enable them to satisfy their needs of luxury as much as possible. Islam also showed that energy is a public property for Muslims, the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

«المسلمون شركاء في ثلاث: الماء والكلأ والنار»

"The Muslims are partners in three things: water, feeding pastures and fire." (Narrated by Abu Dawood).

Thus, in Khilafah "Caliphate", and by its constitution that is derived from the Book and the Sunnah, profits from energy will go to the people, and this is their right and not a favor from the state they wish them, and threaten them to lift subsidies from them whenever it is exposed to pressure from the International Monetary Fund. We in Hizb ut Tahrir continue to work with the Ummah and among them to overthrow this regime and its servants in order to establish in its place the state of glory, the Khilafah "Caliphate" State, which returns to the Muslims their honor and their status which is chosen to them by the Lord of Glory, the best nation raised to the mankind.

[وَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ وَلِرَسُولِهِ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلَكِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ]

"And to Allah belongs [all] honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know". [Al-Munafiqun: 8]

Sharif Zayed
Head of the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir
in Wilayah Egypt