Protest: Armed with pots, pans and protests

Women weilding kitchen utensils take to the streets protesting price hike.

FAISALABAD:

Dozens of women protested against skyrocketing prices and load shedding in the district by carrying kitchen utensils. The protestors said that they had no electricity and could barely afford food. “With the constantly rising prices there is no food in our dishes and we have nothing to feed our children with,” said a protestor Javeria Bibi.

The protest took place on Kukian Wala Road Mohalla Sher Singh Wala and the rally moved to Tariq Colony, Ship Town and Khalid Colony. The protesters also said that they lacked Sui gas, a proper sewerage system and proper roads. “The government is deaf to our demands so we have been forced to start beating our empty dishes for food,” they said.

The protester carried kitchen utensils and cooking pots and protested outside several government offices where they beat the cooking pots with spoons and chanted slogans against the government and the president and prime minister.

“Our leaders don’t care that their people are starving. They don’t care that there is no electricity and shortly we will all be forced to put our children up for sale just to feed ourselves,” said an old man Mubasshar.

The protesters also burnt tyres and blocked the main road for several hours.

Most women said that the prices of firewood had gone up and they could no longer cook food. “We don’t have gas or firewood and we don’t have enough money to buy food. Are we all meant to starve to death?” a protester Ameena Bibi said.

The protesters said that the government needed to provide them with basic amenities. “It is about time our leaders dug into their own pockets and returned some of the money they have been stealing to the people. The people are starving,” they said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 2^nd, 2011.