Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi slams govt for ‘muzzling’ protesters

Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi -- a leader of the PML-Q which is a key partner of the ruling PTI – on Friday hit out at the government for using high-handedness to muzzle protesters.

“What kind of democracy is this where protesters are being silenced?” he said while referring to police using water cannon and baton-charging farmers who were protesting a couple of days ago in Lahore demanding an increase in crop support prices and cut in electricity and fertiliser rates.

Elahi, whose party is an ally of the PTI in the Centre and Punjab, expressed his sorrow over the death of Ashfaq Langrial, a Pakistan Kissan Ittehad office-bearer, who was participating in the farmers’ protest.

“Farmers have never been subjected to such brutality,” said the PML-Q leader, adding that those responsible for the incident would not be spared. “Everybody has the right to protest.”

Elahi backed the farmers’ demand that the support price of wheat should be fixed at Rs2,000 per 40kg.

He said it was the government’s responsibility to address the grievances of the people and provide them with relief.

“All governments in the past have given priority to addressing the problems of the people.”

The Punjab Assembly speaker expressed solidarity with the farmers, saying that the tragedy could have been averted if the government had taken their demands seriously from the first day.

In response to Elahi’s statement, Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar said the ruling PTI had no issues with its coalition partners. “There are always small differences between allies and they can be addressed through talks,” he added. “Pervaiz Elahi has never said he was parting ways with the PTI.”