PPP stages protests against inflation

Holds rally at Empress Market Karachi, sit-in at Hyderabad Bypass

KARACHI:

The Karachi chapter of Pakistan People's Party on Friday staged a large public demonstration outside Empress Market of Saddar area to protest against the issues of inflation, unemployment, and hike in the prices of gas, electricity, petrol, and other essential commodities in the country.

The PPP organised the protest demonstration on the direction of the party's Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari who had called for agitation all over the country to protest against the incompetence of the present federal government in overcoming major public issues.

Carrying the banners and placard the protestors chanted slogans against federal government and Prime Minister Imran Khan. "Go Niazi Go" and "kha gia hai Kuptan, roti kapra aur makan" or the captain (Imran Khan) has eaten food, clothing and shelter.

The PPP leaders who addressed the participants of the protest demonstration said that their party had launched an agitation drive under the leadership of the PPP Chairman to get rid of the present government that had caused immense miseries to people in the country.

Read More: Inflationary bite

Addressing the demonstrators, PPP Karachi President and Sindh Information and Labour Minister Saeed Ghani said the countrywide protests showed that the masses in the country had been facing immense problems due to the unjust policies of the present government.

"The incumbent federal government should be sent packing in order to overcome the issue of unprecedented hike in the prices of essential products," he said adding PPP would continue the protests drive till the time the present selected regime was deposed.

Ghani was the view that the present government had entered into a secretive deal with the International Monetary Fund to cause a massive hike in the prices of essential products. He added that the masses had been facing severe economic hardships due to unprecedented hike in the prices of petrol, electricity, and natural gas.

Criticizing the PTI government over registering fake cases, Saeed Ghani said the PTI government sent opposition politicians to prison on false cases, but did not hold accountable its own ministers responsible for the sugar and wheat crisis in the country.

PPP Sindh General-Secretary Waqar Mehdi said that the people in the entire country from Gilgit to Karachi had resorted to protest on the appeal of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

He said the people had given their decision that they wanted to get rid of the present government that had caused up to 30 per cent inflation. He said the issue of price-hike couldn't be tackled till the time present government remained in power.

Minsiter for Women Development Shehla Raza, PPP MNA Shahida Rehmani, Javeed Nangori and other also addressed to the crowd.

PPP Sindh chief leads sit-in

PPP workers led by the party's Sindh President Nisar Ahmed Khuhro staged a token sit-in protest at Hyderabad Bypass to protest against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's government and its policies. The vehicles traveling from Karachi and the upcountry lined up for kilometers during the sit-in.

Addressing the workers, Khuhro reiterated the blame of inflicting inflation, joblessness and poverty on the PTI's government. "The people are feeling compelled to sell their children to eke out a living," he lamented.

He told that protests are taking place from one corner of Sindh to another against the PTI government caused inflation. "This situation didn't exist in Riasat-e-Madina."

He deplored that on one hand the government is increasing taxes while withdrawing subsidies and on another unprecedented amount of loans are being taken from the international financial institutions.

"They have mortgaged the country. The State Bank of Pakistan will be answerable only to the IMF [International Monetary Fund]." Khuhro said the PPP's protests are meant to draw attention of the world and the powers which selected Khan towards the plight of the people of Pakistan. "The selectors should get rid of Khan by holding early elections."

He argued that Khan's bad governance has turned away whatever support he used to enjoy among the public as made evident by the recent by-elections. The PPP's leader Moula Bux Chandio said Khan's flawed policies have snatched livelihoods from the people and compelled many to take their lives.

He claimed that the federal and provincial ministers belonging to the PTI continued to fool Khan about the socio-political situation in the country. Some other leaders of the PPP also expressed their views.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 11^th, 2021.