Daily Times

The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Saturday staged demonstrations in Sialkot against rising inflation, growing unemployment and economic devastation, a private TV channel reported.

“We need transparent elections as this is the only solution to inflation,” PML-N leader Khawaja Asif said while addressing the people present at the protest.

“The government is not representative of the people, it is working for the mafia,” Jamiat Ahle Hadith leader Sajid Mir said, adding that “the opponents of Nawaz Sharif are also remembering (fondly) him now”.

The Opposition alliance also protested in Multan and Jhang on Saturday.

PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the series of protests would continue. “Demonstrations will be held in Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Multan, Bhakkar, Mianwali, Sahiwal and Mian Channu today,” she said, adding that PDM will also hold protests against inflation in Nawabshah, Dadu, Thatta, Sujawal and Mithi.

It is pertinent to mention here that the PDM kicked off its 15-day nationwide protest on Wednesday from Rawalpindi against the continuous rise in the prices of petroleum products and edibles. On Friday, the opposition parties took to the streets in various cities across Pakistan to put pressure on the government amid growing inflation in the country, with Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and the PPP staging separate anti-government demonstrations. Protests were held in Karachi, Larkana, Lahore, Sukkur, Mardan, Jacobabad, Mohmand, Ziarat, Mingora and other cities of the country following a call by the opposition.

Addressing a protest gathering at Karachi’s Empress Market, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) general secretary Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri had said that protests against inflation and the current government were a “public referendum”. The JUI-F stood in solidarity with the poor, farmers and lawyers, he said, adding that party chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman – who is also the PDM president – had announced nationwide protests from October 20. “Protests against inflation will continue,” he had vowed.

Videos shared by the PML-N’s Twitter account on Friday had showed similar protests in Shangla, Bahawalpur, and Kasur. People shouted slogans against the government and rising inflation. Traffic at the Quetta-Chaman highway remained suspended for several hours due to the rally. In Karachi, the demonstration started near the Empress Market area, due to which the surrounding roads had to be sealed.

Separately, the PPP had held a protest in Karachi – led by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah – against the rising inflation in the country. While addressing the participants, he criticised the incumbent government and said: “Thieves of wheat and sugar should spare the poor masses. Only Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari can rid the poor of inflation.”