ISLAMABAD: Claiming that inflation in the country has soared to 30 percent, Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former prime minister Imran Khan asked the nation on Sunday to be ready for his call to launch anti-government campaign.
“I will give you a call—you have to be ready— to get rid of this government,” he said in his live television address to the nation.
PTI chairman Imran has said that the country’s economic and political situation will deteriorate further if early elections are not held and added the coalition govt led by PML-N is burying all institutions.
He said the cases of 1,200 billion rupees against the rulers would be ended once new law related to accountability comes into effect. National Accountability Bureau (NAB) recovered Rs 480 billion in three years during his government, Khan said. The legislation done by PTI government related to Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is helping Pakistan get removed from the FATF grey list, he added. The former PM feared that the country was heading towards default like Sri Lanka due to worst economic conditions.
“These rulers have put the country where it is today—on the behest of ‘their masters’,” the PTI chief said, claiming that the government functionaries were destroying state institutions like NAB and FIA (Federal Investigation Agency) to save their black money.
Imran says he will announce future strategy today
Khan’s address came after a large number of people took to roads on Sunday night on his call against unprecedented inflation in the country. Interestingly, people not only from PTI but also from other political parties were seen actively joining the protest against fuel price hike and inflation.
In Karachi, main protest was held at Shahrah-e-Quaideen. In Lahore, Liberty Chowk was the hub of public protest. Likewise, Chowk Ghanta Ghar was the centre of protestors activity in Faisalabad, F-9 Park in Islamabad, Commercial Market in Rawalpindi, Shahbaz Chowk in Multan and huge protests were held in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including provincial capital of Peshawar.
Reports from several other cities also suggested that despite heavy downpour, big turnout of public was witnessed at the protest sites that continued till the filing of this report.
Earlier, the PTI chief invited the entire nation to join the protests, saying he would address the nation at 10 pm.
“The way people are getting trapped in this ugly quagmire of inflation—and if we keep sitting silent— I am telling you there would be further increase in this inflation and public’s suffering would be endless—and they (government), as well as, their masters are least bothered about it—their dirty money amounting in billions of dollars is stashed abroad—they just don’t care—it makes no difference to them—it makes difference to those who are committed to live and die in this country,” Imran Khan said in his video message before the protest. He said that the real problem for Pakistan is the shortage of dollars, adding at present the country is facing 30 per cent inflation.
“If you (rulers) are incapable of running this country, why in the first place did you hatch this evil ‘conspiracy’? A country that was progressing and prospering by all means — why did you derail it? The kind of inflation you have unleashed on the masses, never ever did this country witness such a debacle before. I ask why you did it, only to protect your dirty money,” Khan asked in an emotional vein. Earlier, Khan’s Chief of Staff Shahbaz Gill addressed a hard-hitting presser in which he lambasted the “imported government” over what he said was the destruction of Pakistan’s economy.
He took on the government for increasing manifolds the prices of not only fuel but also edible items, electricity and other essential items. He said the inflation that was previously between 11 per cent and 13 per cent has now skyrocketed to 30 per cent.
“There are only two options for all of us—either to sit silent and watch this whole melodrama as silent spectators or join hands against it,” Gill stated.
He urged the masses not to sit in their homes— and practically join the protests.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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