SWABI, Jan 9: Protest demonstrations were held in different cities of the NWFP on the call of the Awami National Party (ANP) on Wednesday against electricity and gas loadshedding and flour shortage. The leaders in their speeches on the occasion demanded resignation of the caretaker set-up.
In Swabi, ANP president Asfandyar Wali Khan said at a demonstration that the federal as well as Punjab governments were responsible for the flour crisis in the Pukhtunkhwa. “When the electricity of this province is being utilised in the Punjab’s industrial sector, the Pukhtuns too have the right to get flour from Punjab,” he said.
ANP workers and leaders gathered at the Swabi Bridge and marched to Kernel Sher Khan Chowk while chanting ant-government slogans.
He said Sindh had already been enraged by the killing of Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto and now the people of ‘Pukhtunkhwa’ were being forced to take to the streets through the artificial flour crisis and loadshedding.
NOWSHERA: A procession led by the ANP’s provincial secretary-general Mian Iftikhar Hussain and district president Haji Delaram Khan passed through various bazaars and turned into a big gathering on reaching the GT Road.
The protesters demanded lifting of the ban on transport of wheat from Punjab to the NWFP.
They alleged that the government was creating artificial crisis to divert the people’s attention from the real issues, including the Liaquat Bagh tragedy.
BANNU: District ANP chief Israel Khan Wazir and general secretary Master Diyaz Khan led a procession which passed though various roads and converged on Bannu Press Club.
In Karak, speakers at a protest rally called upon the government to withdraw flour distribution powers of the nazims and councillors.
A procession led by former district nazim Sharif Khattak started from the party’s district office and terminated at Saddam Chowk. The leaders criticised price-hike, flour shortage and loadshedding and demanded that the caretaker set-up should step down and a national government be set up to conduct free and fair election.
They alleged that the blood of the Pukhtuns was being shed by the rulers who were calling them ‘terrorists and militants’ under a conspiracy.
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