Rifaqat Ullah Razarwal
CHARSADDA: Awami National Party (ANP) president Asfandyar Wali Khan strongly rejected increase in price of petroleum products here on Sunday and asked the government to withdraw the decision as it leads to unprecedented hike in rates of daily use commodities.
He said to a public meeting at Farooq Azam square, the price hike is ample proof that the ruling clique is unable to deliver. He said that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leadership had claimed before the election to provide relief to citizens but they failed and now they would be unable to find hideout.
ANP president said the PTI leaders should recall their speeches they had made during the 126-day sit-in in Islamabad.
He said, ANP is following a non-violence philosophy, “as we condemned the innocence killing of Pashtun Tahuffuz Movement workers like condemning the martyrdom of military officials”, he said.
He said that Imran Khan did not seem to be a democratically elected prime minister as his policies reflected the worst kind of dictatorship in the country, added that the rulers lacked vision and experience to steer the country out of the prevailing crises.
`The PTI government has failed to ensure financial discipline and is passing on the burden to people, ` he said. He added that government took irrational steps and devalued the rupee against the US dollar that triggered inflation and weakened economy.
Asfandyar Wali said that his party would not remain silent over the recent increase in fuel price as it was tantamount to dropping a `petrol bomb` on poor people. It would cause record increase in the daily use items, he added.
He said that government focused its attention only on victimization of the opposition parties and did nothing for the welfare of people.
Correspondent from Timergara adds: The Awami National Party Lower Dir held a protest rally against the government for its flawed financial policies, price hike and rising unemployment. Hundreds of workers from different areas of the district reached the Timergara city in vehicular procession and gathered in front of Timergara press club. The protesting workers also marched on the road from the press club to Gorgorai Chowk. The ANP central deputy general secretary retired Brigadier Saleem Khan and district president MPA Haji Bahadar Khan led the protesters. They were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans against inflation and price hike.
The rally was addressed by Saleem Khan, MPA Haji Bahadar Khan, district general secretary Malik Muhammad Zeb, advocate Hazrat Rehman and others.
Addressing the rally the speakers alleged the PTI leadership was no more capable to run affairs of the state. They said the country economy had been handed over to the IMF under the condition of which prices of daily use items were being increased with each passing day. They said the poor masses could not afford the rising prices of electricity, gas, petroleum products and edible things.
The speakers said that poor masses would further be burdened by taxation in budget. Terming the government as a selected they said that PTI was brought to powers by stealing votes of opposition parties. They said there had been unannounced ‘Martial Law’ in the country and the parliament was a mare symbol.
“Pakistan is heading toward anarchy and chaos,” Haji Bahadar Khan said, adding that judges, judiciary and media were under attack. He said that Pukhtun were being pushed to the wall. He said the ANP had rendered matchless sacrifices during the war on terror and had lost its several leaders and workers. “We want justice for our martyrs as they were killed just for nothing,” he said.
The speakers demanded of the Prime Minister Imran Khan to either fulfill his pledges made with the masses before coming into power or step down. They asked the workers to wait for another protest call from the leadership and mobilize masses against the government for price hike, inflation and joblessness.
