PML-N continues anti-inflation rallies in Punjab

FAISALABAD:

The PML-N on Sunday organised a rally in Faisalabad and other cities of Punjab as part of its movement against the rising inflation in the country.

Addressing the rally, the party’s local leaders said that people had taken to the streets against the PTI-led government’s policies.

They vowed to carry on the movement until the ouster of the current rulers.

The party also organised rallies in Jhang, Mianwali and Multan among other areas of the province.
In Jhang, PML-N leaders marched from Circuit House to the press club. Women participating in the rally protested with empty utensils in their hands.

On Friday, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif had fired a broadside at the incumbent government, terming the recent increase in electricity tariff, petrol price and taxes a “mini-budget” and “terrorism against the people and the economy”.

According to a statement, Shehbaz expressed deep sorrow over the 17% sales tax imposed on tax-exempted items. He added that he had predicted in his budget speech that the ruling PTI would soon bring a mini-budget and that had turned out to be true.

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In addition, the opposition leader said, it had been proven that the PTI-led government had “deceived” the people in the name of budget.

“If this government runs, the economy will not run,” he said, apparently in line with his recent demand for holding “immediate and transparent elections” to put the country back on the path of development and prosperity.

Shehbaz said that if the government kept moving on the current track, then it would be hard for the poor people to earn their livelihoods and run their businesses.

The former Punjab CM said Prime Minister Imran Khan was sacrificing the economy and nation for the sake of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.

Reportedly, in a bid to remain in the IMF programme, the government has recently sought the federal cabinet’s approval to increase electricity tariff by Rs1.68 per unit or nearly 14%.

The PML-N leader said the government was blindly acting on the terms set by the IMF and showing that it did not care about public interest.

He maintained that the prime minister himself took steps that caused inflation and then complained to the nation that the people did not understand the reasons for it.

“The nation is well aware of what is happening to them and who is doing this oppression every day,” he said, adding that the problem was not the understanding of the nation but the corruption, lies and historical incompetence of the incumbent rulers.

(With input from our correspondents in Jhang and Lahore)