PESHAWAR: Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), a conglomerate of mainstream opposition parties, and government employees staged rallies in different towns, including the provincial capital, on Friday to protest ‘record price hike’.

Workers of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl and Quami Watan Party held a demonstration outside the provincial assembly carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans against the government. They also chanted slogans against the ‘failed’ policies of the incumbent rulers.

Addressing the protesters, PML-N Khyber Pakhtunkhwa president Eng Amir Muqam urged the PDM leadership to announce a date for a march on Islamabad to get rid of the ‘corrupt’ and ‘incompetent’ rulers.

“If this tyrannical government remains in power any more the people will not survive,” he said, adding PDM should take decisive steps to save the people from starvation.

Opposition asks PM to resign over ‘failed’ policies

Mr Muqam said sugar had touched Rs150 per kilogramme in the market and would further rise, while price of petrol was fixed at Rs146 per litre. He claimed Imran Khan’s agenda was to destabilise Pakistan economically and politically. He said free and fair elections were the only option to pull the country out of crises.

QWP provincial president Sikandar Khan Sherpao said the government had dropped petrol bomb on the nation at midnight. He said the ‘hybrid’ democracy could not deliver.

JUI-F leader Ataul Haq Derwish said PDM would continue its protest movement till removal of what he said fake prime minister.

Meanwhile, the Lower Dir chapter of PML-N held a protest rally against inflation.

The party workers from all parts of the district gathered in Timergara and chanted slogans against the government.

PML-N district general secretary Sardar Javed Akhtar, Balambat tehsil president Mohammad Qayyum, former district councillor Azhar Taqveem and others spoke on the occasion.

They said the government was unable to control the skyrocketing prices of fuel and edibles. They claimed the PML-N was the only party that could steer the country out of the present crisis.

The speakers criticised the prime minister for covering up his blue-eyed aides despite their involvement in mega scams.

Also, the employees of different departments on Friday staged a protest in Swat against price hike, and demanded of the government to increase their salaries accordingly.

Led by the All Government Employees Coordination Council leaders, the employees carrying banners and placards shouted slogans against the government. They started the rally from the district courts and gathered at the Nishat Chowk in Mingora. The council’s president Ali Rehman and others addressed the protesters and said the employees’ salaries were not increased at rate at which prices of daily use commodities were being increased.

“Prices of daily use items have been increased so much that we cannot afford to buy even food items in our monthly salary and have to borrow money every month,” deplored a protesting employee.

They also lambasted the government for increasing rates of petroleum products, electricity, and gas on a regular basis.

Separately, the clerical staff of the education department staged a protest rally in Charsadda against unbridled price hike, and demanded increase in their salaries.

Holding banners and placards, the protesters chanted slogans against the government’s failure to control surge in rates of essential items.

After passing through various roads, the protesters converged at the Farooq Azam Chowk, where they blocked the road for traffic.

Addressing the protesting clerks, the association’s president Dastar Ali, general secretary Shahid Ali, chairman Ijaz Khan and others held the government responsible for the growing inflation in the country. They said salaried class was the worst sufferers of the prevailing situation. They said the poor had been forced to commit suicides because they could not afford buying even food items.

Similarly, the employees of different departments held a protest demonstration in Lakki Marwat against inflation.

The call for the protest was given by the local chapter of all Pakistan clerks association.

The protesters gathered at the District Headquarters Complex in Tajazai, raising slogans and demanding of the government to control the surge in prices of essential commodities.

Published in Dawn, November 6th, 2021