Daily Times

LAHORE: Following the announcement by the central and provincial leadership, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) slammed government over high inflation, recent increase in prices of petroleum products and load shedding of electricity and gas during demonstrations in front of the Lahore Press Club (LPC) on Sunday.

Interestingly, three party groups led by Lahore chapter president Azizur Rehman Chann, Punjab women wing president Samina Khalid Ghurki and MPA Faiza Malik, respectively, held demonstrations and did not join each other.

A major chunk of demonstrators was observed in the Chann group in which Faisal Mir, Arif Khan and Abid Sadiqui participated, while the second largest group was led by Samina Ghurki in which mostly women – not more than two dozen – were included. The third group was led by MPA Faiza Malik.

Heads of all three groups also addressed the media separately and did not try to unite protesters. They also did not deliver speeches from a united platform. Some veteran workers were of the view that “chinks” in party ranks were responsible for losing street power in Punjab.

Anyhow, talking to the media Chann rejected the recent increase in petrol prices, saying that it was like a mini budget as prices of necessary kitchen items would subsequently increase. He said that the government should immediately withdraw the hike in oil prices. He also criticised the government for load shedding of electricity and gas.

While addressing the media separately, Samina Ghurki said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had dropped a “petrol bomb” on the poor masses. She demanded the government that hike in oil prices should be withdrawn as poor people could not bear the burden anymore.

In her address to newsmen, MPA Faiza Malik said that it was “injustice” with the poor masses as the government had increased petroleum prices despite the downward trend in the international market. She also announced that she would highlight the issue in the Punjab Assembly soon.

Some charged workers chanted slogans not only against Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif but also against Imran Khan, alleging that the leadership of PML-N and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were looters and thieves.

Later, protesters dispersed in a peaceful manner. During the protest, the road in front of Lahore Press Club remained close for security reasons.

Published in Daily Times, November 6^th 2017.