The main opposition party Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz on Thursday staged protest in different areas of Lahore against the inflation and massive increase in petroleum prices. The PML-N established 16 protest camps in Lahore that is considered as the stronghold of the party. A good number of workers showed up in the protest camps while chanting slogans against the government and Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The PML-N assigned duties to the party’s MNAs and MPAs to hold protest camps in every constituency of Lahore. As per the details, MNA Malik Raiz and MPA Samiullah Khan established protest camp at Shahdara Chowk-the entry point of Lahore. MPA Ghazali Saleem Butt at Badami Bagh, MPA Mian Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman at Cooper Store, MNA Ali Pervaiz Malik and MPAs Kh Imran Nazir and Chaudhry Shehbaz at Shalimar Chowk, MNA Sheikh Rohail Asghar and MPA Bao Akhtar at Darogha Wala Chowk, MNA Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and MPA Malik Waheed at Mughalpura, MPA Kh Salman Rafique at Joray Pul, MPA Rana Mashhood at Samanabad Mor, MPA Saif ul Malook Khokhar at Thokar Niaz Beg, MNA Rana Mubashar at Ferozpur Road, former Lahore’s Mayor Kh Ahmad Hassaan at Ichra, MNA Malik Pervaiz at Township, MNA Kh Saad Rafique at Walton Road, MNA Malik Afzal Khokhar at Raiwind and MNA Waheed Alam and MPAs Bilal Yaseen and Mian Marghoob held camps at Mazang.
The slogans of ‘Go Niazi Go, Atta Chor Haye Haye, Cheeni Chor Haye Haye and Petrol Chor Haye Haye’ were chanted by the PML-N workers in camps. They were also carrying placards inscribed with the slogans against the hike in petroleum prices and inflation in the country.
“It will be a national crime to be silent at this time when the masses are badly hit by the inflation and hike in petroleum prices,” said MPA Samiullah Khan, who was protesting at Shahdara camp. He was of the view that the government imposed fine of just 40 million to oil companies while giving relief of over 250 billion to them. It is the darkest chapter of political history of Pakistan when the petroleum prices were increased by 25 rupees in just one day, he said. He further added that the political parties cannot be silent at this time over these issues. “The crisis after crisis is surfacing these days be it the flour crisis or sugar crisis and now we have seen the petrol crisis. It seems that the country is being ruled by the mafias and not by the PTI,” said MPA Samiullah Khan.
MPA Khawaja Imran Nazir, who is also the general secretary of PML-N Lahore, said that Thursday’s show is depicting that the days of PTI government are numbered. “First, we staged protest in the assemblies and now we have decided to come on the roads against this hyperinflation that has made the lives of masses miserable,” he said. He further added that the problems of Pakistan can only be solved by the leadership of PML-N that will come into power again soon. The PML-N lawmakers also demanded fresh elections in the country in transparent way to resolve the issues of masses.
The party anthems were also played in the camps to keep the workers charged and motivated. The SOPs of social distancing were completely ignored in the camps both by the PML-N workers and parliamentarians.