SWABI: Perturbed by record price hike, people here have been losing interest in the upcoming local government elections, saying successive governments, including the incumbent one, could not provide them any relief.

During a survey conducted by this correspondent the people rejected the relief package announced by the prime minister and the view that commodity prices were still cheap in Pakistan compared with other South Asian countries.

Local shopkeepers, farmers, daily wagers, public and private sector employees and people from other walks of life said the lawmakers had failed to meet their expectations, as they always made empty pledges.

Sher Ali Khan, who plans to contest the upcoming local government elections, said he didn’t know how they would lure the people to exercise their right to vote.

Mohammad Ali, president of district traders, said the prices of essential commodities were continuously rising during the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government and both the business community and consumers were facing a difficult situation.

Javid Khan, a daily wager, said they could not meet their routine expenditures. A primary schoolteacher also showed similar concerns.

Dr Mohammad Shahzad and other residents also showed indifference to the LG elections and feared the situation of inflation would deteriorate in the coming days and months.

KILLED: Unidentified assailants shot dead a man in Shewa village here on Saturday.

When contacted, officials of Kalu Khan police station said one Nasir Khan had gone to the fields where some unidentified persons attacked him. As a result, he suffered injuries and was taken to the tehsil headquarters hospital, but did not survive.

The police registered an FIR and have started investigation.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2021