PESHAWAR: Pakistan Peoples Party on Sunday staged a protest demonstration in Peshawar and Jamaat-i-Islami in Lower and Upper Dir against the government over unprecedented price hike and increasing joblessness in the country.

In Peshawar, the protest demonstration was led by PPP provincial president Najmuddin Khan. A large number of PPP workers participated in the demonstration besides party’s provincial general secretaries Malik Thamas Khan and Malik Saeed Khan and Peshawar district president Razaullah Khan Chagharmatti.

The PPP workers assembled at Hashtnagri Bazaar from where they took out a protest rally and marched on different roads of the provincial capital. It culminated at Firdaus Chowk.

The protesters also chanted slogans against the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government in the centre and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

PML-N says Imran’s govt ‘on ventilator’

Speaking on the occasion, Najmuddin Khan said the struggle of the PPP would continue against the PTI government as it had made lives of the masses difficult due to increasing prices of edible items and joblessness.

Meanwhile, some PPP workers opened fire on each other when they quarreled over some issue during the demonstration. Two activists of the party received bullet wounds.

An official of Hashtnagri police station told Dawn that an FIR had been registered against unknown people.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, president Amir Muqam has said that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government is on ventilator and it will expire soon.

According to a statement here on Sunday, he was addressing a convention of Muslim Doctors Forum in Peshawar.

He hailed the efforts KP doctors and said that after the black coats (lawyers) now the white coats (doctors) would be on the street against the PTI government.

It was announced that PML-N Khyber Pakhtunkhwa women wing would stage a demonstration on Nov 1 in Peshawar.

He also asked the lawyers’ wing to hold protests across the province against inflation.

Mr Muqam also administered oath to the provincial office-bearers of the Muslim Doctors Forum.

JI RALLIES IN DIR SLAM GOVT: Jamaat-i-Islami on Sunday arranged protest rallies in the district headquarters of Lower and Upper Dir against the government for its failure to control rising prices of petroleum products and essential food commodities, unemployment, corruption and imposition of taxes on the people of Malakand division.

Led by the JI district chief Izazul Mulk Afkari, hundreds of the party workers marched on the roads from Balambat to Timergara and chanted slogans against the government.

The rally was addressed by former Mr Afkari, former MNA Sahibzada Yaqub Khan, Arshad Zaman, Anjuman-i-Tajiran Timergara president Anwaruddin and others.

The Upper Dir rally was also attended by hundreds of JI workers and local business community. JI parliamentary leader in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Inayatullah, former MNA Sahibzada Tariqullah and JI district chief Hanifullah addressed the protesters at Dir Chowk.

The speakers expressed grave concern over the tsunami of inflation in the country and said it was affecting the people of every section of society.

The speakers demanded the prime minister to step down and announce holding of fresh elections in the country.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2021