Show me the money: MKP calls for recovery of nation’s looted wealth

Speakers said country has become slave to foreign loans

PESHAWAR: A protest was held in Cantonment Railway Station  in the city on Thursday to demand the recovery of national wealth that had been plundered. Demonstrators also asked National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to take all those involved in corruption to task.

The protest was held on the call of the Mazdoor Kisan Party (MKP). Demonstrations were held across the country against the surge in corruption.

MKP Central President Afzal Shah Khamosh and Shakeel Waheedullah led the protesters. Leaders from different unions and political parties, including Railway Workers’ Union (RWU) Divisional President Syed Ishfaq Bacha, Jamhoori Rabita committee (JRC) member Hameed Gul, Muttahida Qaumi Movement K-P Senior Vice President Taj Nawab Khattak and others attended the protest.

Speaking on the occasion, the leaders said corruption had weakened the foundations of Pakistan. They alleged foreign loans were not for the poor, but to grease the palms of politicians. The speakers added the poor, on the other hand, were being pushed to the wall.

They alleged that instead of halting corruption in the country, political parties are paving the way for such practices through the use of different tactics.

Rejecting the commission constituted to probe the Panama Leaks, the speakers said the poor were getting poorer and the rich were increasing their wealth by the day. The political leaders said they had no desire to be slaves to foreign loans and nor would they allow anyone to toy with the lives and property of the nation.

They called for the recovery of looted wealth otherwise MKP would launch a protest throughout the country and the consequences would be the government’s responsibility.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2016.