ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI LAHORE: The PDM and PPP on Wednesday kicked off separate countrywide protests against the unprecedented price hike of fuel and commodities of daily use, pledging to send the government packing for making lives of people miserable who can no longer afford two square meals.
Hitting out against the government, Chairman Pakistan People’s Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the PPP's campaign against inflation was a reflection of people's sentiments. “The PPP stands with the people against the worst inflation in the country,” he said while congratulating Jiyalas (PPP workers) for staging demonstrations against price hike by the government in several cities of Pakistan. The Jiyalas protested in Shangla, Kohat and Chiniot districts in connection with the protests being organised by the party in Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Similarly, the PDM staged its first protest in Rawalpindi on Wednesday, which was its first stop in its countywide protest campaign to oust the government. A large number of civil society members and supporters of PDM and its constituent PML-N strongly protested against spiraling prices of commodities of daily use and ever-increasing POL prices. The protesters took out a rally and blocked the main Murree Road. The angry protesters in their speeches said the government was increasing the prices of petroleum products, electricity, natural gas, LPG and items of daily use, particularly edibles, only to avail the loans of International Monetary Fund (IMF). A large contingent of police was deployed to control the law and order situation on the occasion. The PML-N leaders, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, Malik Ibrar, Haji Pervez Khan, Rawalpindi Mayor Sardar Naseem Khan, Shazia Rizwan, Zaib-un-Nisa, Sajjad Khan and several others, participated in the rally and raised slogans against Prime Minister Imran Khan. A large number of women present in the rally also raised loud slogans of ‘Go Niazi Go’. The tsunami of inflation has overburdened people, the angry protesters said. Carrying banners and placards, the protesters marched on the Murree Road to the Rawalpindi Press Club, demanded Imran Khan to immediately step down. Traffic on both sides of the Murree Road was suspended during the protest rally. The protesters wore black arm and head bands to record their protest.
Strongly criticising the PTI government, PML-N leader Marriyum Aurangzeb said that we will not make let this government turn into a political martyr. The Pakistan Democratic Movement's anti-government campaign will send the incumbent set-up packing, PML-N spokesperson Aurangzeb pledged. She said the government had failed to provide essential commodities on cheaper prices and termed the government as incompetent and incapable. "People are in misery due to inflation and unemployment, and they have no hope from this government," the PML-N spokesperson said as she addressed the protest.
PML-N leader Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, who was leading the rally, said the PTI government has increased the prices of petroleum products to a record high level, depriving the people of two square meals. The PTI government came into power in the name of change and revival of the economy but in fact pushed the country to the brink of economic collapse, he said. It is impossible for the poor to even survive nowadays, therefore, we can't no longer remain silent witnesses, he said.
Groups of civil society members also joined the protest rally. Several protesters climbed the Metro Bus Station near Liaquat Bagh and raised slogans against the PTI government. Police officials were seen asking the protesters to come down to record their protest. The local leadership of PML-N appealed to the public to participate in the protest. They said that we have started a campaign against rising inflation and decided to launch a full-fledged campaign against "the worst inflation in the country's history." We will never go back till the removal of Imran Khan, they claimed. PML-N leader Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has announced to hold a demonstration against inflation here at Bara Kahu on Thursday (today).
The PML-N Punjab has finalised its plan to take to the streets from October 22, 2021 against the high inflation in the country. A meeting of PMLN Punjab was held under the chairmanship of PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah here on Wednesday to plan mass protest rallies. The meeting was attended by Owais Leghari, Sheikh Aftab, Azma Bukhari, Saira Tarar, Rana Arshad, Engineer Qamarul Islam, Shahnawaz Ranjha, Sheikh Tariq and other officials.
Addressing the meeting, Rana Sanaullah announced holding demonstrations against inflation in all divisional and district headquarters after Friday prayers on October 22. He directed all party MNAs, MPAs, office holders, ticket holders and members to participate in protests and bring as many people with them as they can. He said venues of protests will be announced later.
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief and PDM head Maulana Fazlur Rehman will reach Karachi today (Thursday) to lead a protest rally against inflation.
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference at the Chief Minister's House, Karachi, CM Sindh Murad Ali Shah pledged to implement minimum wage of Rs25,000 in all public, private organisations. He said an unprecedented Tsunami of price-hike in the country has deprived the poor people of even bread and butter. "For the purpose, we are setting up a forum at the (provincial) Labour and Industries departments to ensure proper implementation of government decision (of minimum wage) in the public as well as in the private sector.”
CM Shah said on the occasion that the cabinet had unanimously expressed serious reservations over defective, immature, and unrealistic policies of the federal government which have ended up in a record price-hike in which even white-collar workers are unable to afford square meals for their families. “This is quite a painful situation,” he said and added this was why the cabinet had decided to task the Labour and Industries departments to implement minimum wage of Rs25,000 in all government organizations and in the private sector.
