KARACHI, May 7: The rulers are bent upon further fanning a record-breaking poverty and price hike in the country while the poor are forced to beg or commit suicide, said speakers at a big demo against poverty, price hike, joblessness and lawlessness on Sunday.
The demo was organized by the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal at the Karachi Press Club.
Dr Merajul Huda Siddiqui, the JI’s Karachi chief, charged that the demolition of old goths in Karachi had turned into an operation against the oppressed people.
He said that unprecedented inflation and price hike was aimed at pushing more and more people beneath the poverty line.
He said that growing lawlessness, failure to arrest terrorists and killers of ulema, political workers, innocent students and social figures had baffled the Karachiites.
He announced that the MMA would organize a big protest demo on May 12, which will be participated by hundreds of thousands people.
He said that the tyrant rulers were working against the interests of the people of Pakistan, adding that due to their wrong policies, the rich were getting richer and the poor poorer.
Dr Meraj said that sugar prices had been increased from Rs18 to Rs40 in two months while the rates of other daily-use items were being increased day by day.
He said that the prevalent price hike and unemployment were unprecedented in the whole history of the country and the common man was finding it difficult to keep his body and soul together.
He criticized the buying of airplanes worth Rs700 million for the President and Prime Minister at a time when the common man could not even arrange two square meals for his children.
Dr Meraj lambasted the 200 per cent increase in salaries and extra funds of legislatures and manifold raise in the allowances of provincial ministers. “They are already living a luxurious life and millions of rupees are being spent on their cars, offices and protocol.”
He expressed his annoyance over the non-arrest of terrorists involved in the April 11 incident of Nishtar Park and alleged that they were being patronized by a coalition partner of the Sindh government.
Another MNA of the MMA, Laeeq Ahmad Khan, criticized the policies of the MQM.
He said the so-called champions of the rights of the people of Karachi had kept a criminal mum over the neck-breaking price hike, inflation, poverty and joblessness.
He offered the MQM to join hands with the MMA to wage a joint struggle for the rights of people. He stressed the youth of Karachi to lead the drive against oppressive rulers.
Shabbir Abu Talib, Secretary of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, said that rulers were claiming that a suicide bomber had exploded a bomb at Nishtar Park after making a 13-feet high jump. He wondered if even an athlete of the Olympics could jump that high.
He said that approximately 1,700 police personnel were present at the Nishtar Park Rabbiul Awwal congregation on April 11 but not a single cop was injured. He said the scenario hinted that it was a planned terrorist attack.
The JUP secretary said that when the backs of the poor people were being broken under the cruel price hike and inflation, the rulers were planning to impose further taxes and surcharges.
MPA Hameedullah Khan Advocate said that since 1999, the prices of petroleum products had been raised 44 times, adding that there was a bunch of profiteers guiding the policy lines of Pakistan.
Saffat Ahmad Siddiqi and others also spoke on the occasion.
Earlier, the funeral prayer of a villager of Sikander Goth, Rafique Ahmad, was offered. Rafique was killed during the demolition operation of Sikander Goth the other day.—PPI
