Fawad Chaudhry warns of aggressive protest drive against runaway inflation

ISLAMABAD: Former information minister and PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry Saturday reiterated the demand for early elections, warning his party would spearhead an aggressive protest drive against runaway inflation as the coalition government have "completely failed" at doing their job.

Addressing a press conference, flanked by Awami Muslim League leader Sheikh Rashid, the PTI leader said: “The party has decided to give a call to its local cells to stage demonstrations against rising prices due to the country’s current economic situation."

“If the government continues to drag its feet on the elections, then we will wait for a final call in these two weeks as consultation continues. We think workers should await a final call in September,” the PTI leader said.

Chaudhry said the PTI's core committee was "deeply upset" with a sudden spike in street crimes in major cities, adding that these incidents had touched an unprecedented level.

“A large number of factories have shut down, while joblessness has skyrocketed in the last four months; it is estimated that around one million more people will lose their jobs in the next few months,” Chaudhry said.

He said the rupee and stock market are "gasping for air" even after the release of the International Monetary Fund tranche, which meant the government was out of solutions to these economic ills.

“Whether the government wants it or not, Pakistan will finally go to vote, sooner than later. The PTI won’t stop at anything before the polls,” he said.

To a question, he said there was no room for a technocrat or interim government in the Constitution and anything like it would be “martial law”.

“Whatever is to happen will happen this month,” Chaudhry said.