PDM rolls out anti-inflation protests today

The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) will hold anti-government protests across the country against rising inflation, growing unemployment and economic devastation from Friday (today).

According to a statement issued by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), one of the main opposition alliance parties, countrywide protests shall begin after Friday prayers in numerous parts of the country which will be attended by leaders and workers of the PDM’s constituent parties.

“Protest rallies will be taken out in several cities including Lahore, Sargodha, Peshawar, Swat, Changla and Karachi.”

The main protest will start from Jain Mandir Chowk in Lahore at 3pm while protests in Peshawar, Swat, Shangla and other cities will commence after Friday prayers at the same time. The main protest in Karachi will emerge from Empress Market after Friday prayers at 3pm and similar protests will also be held in Sargodha.

A protest schedule has been issued for various districts and divisions of Punjab including Sargodha, Khushab, Mianwali, Bhakkar, Jhang and Jauharabad.

As per details, a rally will be held at Jamia Masjid Shaharwali (Main City) in Muzaffargarh; a protest led by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will be held on Murree Mall Road in Jhang; a protest at Waqar CNG pump Ayub Chowk; another at Dera Mian Wasim Akhtar Sheikh (Shahbaz Khan Road) in Kasur; a protest in front of PML-N House in Railway Station Chowk, Khushab in Mianwali; a protest in front of Farid Gate in Bahawalpur; another at District Secretariat Fawara Chowk in Hafizabad; a rally will be taken out from Vehari grain market to Baldia; a protest rally will be held in Joharabad, Khushab, and a protest at Nabuat Chowk, Layyah.

Read PDM announces ‘grand rally’ against rising inflation

During a meeting of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, Qaumi Watan Party and National Party in Peshawar on Wednesday, the leaders of the parties decided to hold protest rallies till November 4.

It was decided that southern districts – Peshawar, Mardan, Kohistan, Torghar, Malakand, Upper Dir and Chitral – were the responsibility of the JUI-F.

Similarly, Swabi, Charsadda, Buner and Lower Dir had been handed over to QWP, Swat to Mili Awami Party (MAP), Shangla, Abbotabad, Haripur, Manshera to the PML-N and Lower Chitral district to Jamiat Ahle Hadees.

PDM Media Coordinator Abdul Jalil Jan said, “All allied parties have been directed to call meetings and announce a schedule for protests across the province. A grand rally will be held in Assembly Square in Peshawar on November 5 which will be attended by the provincial and central leaders.”

He said that meetings will be held with lawyers, traders, doctors and other organisations to make them a part of the protests.

During the meeting, party leaders said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was in power for the past eight years in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and for three years at the Centre. “The economy has collapsed in the past three years,” they said.

“There is inflation which has no parallel in the history of the country. Pakistan is being run on the dictation of the IMF and people are forced to commit suicides, but the PTI government is not willing to understand the ground realities,” they said, adding that the PDM was the last hope of the nation which has the ability to deliver rather than making tall claims like the PTI and its leader Imran Khan.