HYDERABAD: Leaders, activists and supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf took out a procession here on Friday as part of the party’s ongoing ‘Mahengai (price-hike) March’ and condemned the federal and Sindh governments for the unbearable dearness being faced by the masses.

The march started from Hala Naka and culminated at Pakistan Chowk, where PTI leaders spoke to the participants and media personnel.

Leading the protesters, PTI leader and former Sindh governor Imran Ismail deplored that today, the wheat flour price had shot up to Rs155 a kilo as against Rs55 a kilo before the present Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) dispensation was installed.

He said PTI would control price-hike after coming to power.

He said that no political force in the country could face [party chairman] Imran Khan today.

Ex-governor Imran Ismail leads PTI march against price-hike

He said that the ‘change’ to be witnessed in Sindh would be reflected across Pakistan.

He said that Muttaahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) was these days riding over Asif Zardari and, in collusion with PPP, struggling to delay the second phase of LG polls.

He deplored that the ‘imported’ government was not worried about the hike in flour price. This government has increased prices of all commodities by 60pc, according to him. He pointed out that prices of edibles and commodities had increased manifold.

Claiming that Imran Khan had become the most popular politician in the country, Mr Ismail challenged PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari to face PTI chief in electoral battlefield. He pointed out that the PDM dispensation and PPP government were running away from general elections and local government polls in Sindh, Punjab and Islamabad.

“If establishment is a reality, than Imran Khan is a bigger reality, he remarked.

The former governor said PTI would not let the MQM-London hold ground in Pakistan again, adding that PTI activists along with law enforcers had shed their blood to restore peace in Karachi.

He said that PDM component parties must let people exercise their right to vote.

Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh said the people of Sindh would hand a defeat to “Zardari mafia” and MQM-P. He asked the Muttahida to clear its identity first because “this drama of unification would not last any longer”.

He said neither the 13-party PDM nor the unified MQM-P would be able to do anything to stop PTI from coming to power in elections.

Condemning the price-hike, Mr Sheikh asked where all those who held the ‘tractor march’ and ‘Mahengai march’ during PTI rule had disappeared today. He said price-hike had unnerved everyone.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2023