Peshawar’s residents ask PTI to pay closer attention to home
Say nothing is being done to control inflation and the economy is at a standstill.
PESHAWAR:
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) may be battling law enforcers and the central government to bring about a revolution, but people of the province are asking their government to pay more attention to the domestic front.
“Economic activity has come to a complete standstill since the sit-ins began and poor people are suffering,” Gohar Zaman, a vendor said on Sunday. He urged PTI to sort out its differences with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led central government as further agitation could prove hazardous for Pakistan.
“Inflation is skyrocketing and people are fed up with the increasing prices of daily commodities,” added Zaman. “We did not vote the PTI in so they can stage dharnas.”
He emphasised that the core issues faced by the people of K-P had been ignored by successive governments and they had voted the PTI in to resolve them.
It was the right of people to protest, but not at the cost of poor people, said Naveed Khan, a student. He stressed those living in K-P would have supported the demonstration in the federal capital if it was for their rights.
Reflecting on last night’s incident in Islamabad, Naveed urged measures be taken to prevent further loss of lives of people gathered there. He said no party in the world should attack its own Parliament and break the law of the land.
Siddique Khan, a trader, believed authorities never took the inevitable showdown with PTI seriously.
He said all parties should know how to protect national institutions and assets. Siddique said if a party was attacking and destroying these monuments, not much should be expected from it in future. “PTI’s attention should turn to the people of its province as their votes depend on the party’s performance in the province.”
Apart from the protests in Islamabad, there were small demonstrations in K-P which led to the closure of roads in the city. While some supported the PTI and others PML-N, the protests achieved one thing in common: They hampered the movement of people.
Truck drivers, whose main route was to Islamabad, had to park their vehicles at the beginning of the sit-in as there was little activity.
“We have nothing to do now. All transport activity to Islamabad is closed,” complained Shakir who had been transporting bricks to the capital for decades.
He said the truck drivers were neither a part of the political situation nor did they have an affiliation. “We simply want to work in peace. Every aspect of our lives has been affected. We can’t even buy vegetables and there are no employment opportunities.”
Speaking about the violence in Islamabad, government servant Jahanzeb Khan stressed that authorities should abstain from attacking protestors.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 1st, 2014.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) may be battling law enforcers and the central government to bring about a revolution, but people of the province are asking their government to pay more attention to the domestic front.
“Economic activity has come to a complete standstill since the sit-ins began and poor people are suffering,” Gohar Zaman, a vendor said on Sunday. He urged PTI to sort out its differences with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led central government as further agitation could prove hazardous for Pakistan.
“Inflation is skyrocketing and people are fed up with the increasing prices of daily commodities,” added Zaman. “We did not vote the PTI in so they can stage dharnas.”
He emphasised that the core issues faced by the people of K-P had been ignored by successive governments and they had voted the PTI in to resolve them.
It was the right of people to protest, but not at the cost of poor people, said Naveed Khan, a student. He stressed those living in K-P would have supported the demonstration in the federal capital if it was for their rights.
Reflecting on last night’s incident in Islamabad, Naveed urged measures be taken to prevent further loss of lives of people gathered there. He said no party in the world should attack its own Parliament and break the law of the land.
Siddique Khan, a trader, believed authorities never took the inevitable showdown with PTI seriously.
He said all parties should know how to protect national institutions and assets. Siddique said if a party was attacking and destroying these monuments, not much should be expected from it in future. “PTI’s attention should turn to the people of its province as their votes depend on the party’s performance in the province.”
Apart from the protests in Islamabad, there were small demonstrations in K-P which led to the closure of roads in the city. While some supported the PTI and others PML-N, the protests achieved one thing in common: They hampered the movement of people.
Truck drivers, whose main route was to Islamabad, had to park their vehicles at the beginning of the sit-in as there was little activity.
“We have nothing to do now. All transport activity to Islamabad is closed,” complained Shakir who had been transporting bricks to the capital for decades.
He said the truck drivers were neither a part of the political situation nor did they have an affiliation. “We simply want to work in peace. Every aspect of our lives has been affected. We can’t even buy vegetables and there are no employment opportunities.”
Speaking about the violence in Islamabad, government servant Jahanzeb Khan stressed that authorities should abstain from attacking protestors.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 1st, 2014.