LAHORE:Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Tuesday organised a protest rally outside the Punjab Assembly against inflation, price-hike in essential commodities and rise in prices of petroleum and electricity.
A large number of members of the Punjab Assembly, PML-N ticket holders and workers participated in the protest. They chanted slogans against inflation, price-hike and "incompetence" of the government during the protest. Due to the protest, a traffic jam was witnessed on The Mall and the adjoining arteries where traffic remained at a standstill for hours.
The protest was staged outside Duty Free Shop at the back of Punjab Assembly in which hundreds of people participated. PML-N Punjab Information Secretary Azma Bukhari, MPA Hina Parvez Butt, Sumeera Komal, Sumbal Malik, Tariq Gul, Mirza Javed and others participated in the protest. The participants chanted slogans against the government and inflation. Talking to the media on the occasion, Azma Bukhari said that inflation has broken the back of the common man and the rulers were reporting all was well. “The prime minister is now begging the IMF for dollars, the government is running the country at the behest of the IMF, far from subsidising consumer goods, they have increased taxes on everything from food to drinks by 12 to 17 per cent,” Azma said and claimed that inflation was at an all-time low during the PML-N regime but today it has crossed 14 per cent. Hina Pervaiz Butt said electricity and gas prices have been steadily rising in line with the IMF's terms. She said rising prices of petroleum products every fortnight has become a favorite pastime of the government. “Rising prices of electricity, gas and petrol have a direct impact on everything,” she said, adding the dollar has gone above Rs175. Hina Butt said Ishaq Dar was accused of controlling the dollar in a planned manner and today the dollar was going up while the bank balance of rulers was increasing.
MPA: PML-N Member Punjab Assembly Mirza Javed Tuesday reached the Punjab Assembly on a bicycle in protest against inflation and increase in prices of petroleum products. Mirza Javed had also displayed placards against rising price of petrol on the front and back of his bicycle. Talking to the media outside Punjab Assembly, he said that inflation had made the lives of every citizen miserable. “Prime Minister Imran Khan has forced the people to ride bicycles by raising prices of petrol,” he said and demanded that the prime minister use a bicycle for his daily travelling instead of using luxury cars and helicopter, which were being run on the petrol purchased from the taxes of citizens. Mirza Javed also asked all his colleague MPAs to come to Punjab Assembly on bicycles.