‘Govt-IMF deal to worsen economy’

Protesters say the deal will result in inflation, unemployment, privatisation of assets and imposition of more taxes

Awami Mazahmat — an alliance of leftist parties, trade and workers’ unions protested against inflation, privatisation and anti-people policies in front of the Lahore Press Club on Tuesday. Protesters said the government has proved that it was loyal to the international monetary institutions instead of its people. These institutes play instrumental role to empower oppressive economic structures and facilitate global capitalists to extract material and human resources. They said the agreement between the IMF and the government would result in inflation, unemployment, privatisation of the government and national assets and imposition of more taxes. The protesters demanded that the government immediately reject the IMF proposal, increase minimum wage to Rs30,000, shelve the plan of the privatisation of government health and educational institutes and revoke the privatisation of the public institutes. 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 29^th, 2019.