JI stages sit-in outside Governor House

Spokesperson added they would go to the Supreme Court against cruel measures

PESHAWAR:

The Jamaat-e-Islami on Monday started a three-day sit-in outside the Governor House in Peshawar, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in protest against the rise in prices of electricity and petroleum products as well as back-breaking inflation.

The JI decided to speed up the anti-inflation movement under which the workers also blocked the Peshawar museum by putting a container in front of it.

JI chief Sirajul Haq has camped in Peshawar for three days.

The JI spokesperson said, “Our protest movement is peaceful and arson is not the aim, as the government has to withdraw the cruel increase in the prices [of electricity and petroleum products].”

The spokesperson added that they would also go to the Supreme Court against the cruel measures.

Further, the JI is scheduled to hold a sit-in in Lahore on Sept 21 and on Sept 24 in Quetta, while on Oct 6 in Karachi in front of the Governor House.

JI’s protest disrupts Peshawar traffic flow

A sit-in protest by Jamaat-e-Islami caused chaos in the city, turning it into a traffic nightmare. The routes from Khyber Bazaar, Saddar, and Khyber Road leading to the Governor House were blocked, disrupting the entire traffic system.

Due to the road closures on the way to doctors' clinics, patients seeking medical treatment faced severe difficulties. Traffic lines extended along Khyber Road, Khyber Bazaar, and Governor House Road, leading to significant delays in travel times, even for hours.

As a result of the long lines of vehicles, most of the cars ran out of CNG and petrol on the way. In some instances, there were clashes between police personnel, political party workers, and citizens, escalating tensions in various places.

The protest by Jamaat-e-Islami created a dire situation for the city's residents. Even ambulance vehicles got stuck in traffic jams, and the blocked routes prevented many patients from reaching clinics for check-ups due to the severe congestion.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 19^th, 2023.