GUJRAT, July 6: Hundreds of the Jamaat-i-Islami activists on Sunday held a protest rally at Pakistan Chowk here against increasing prices of flour, oil and gas and the persisting power loadshedding. JI Punjab chief Liaqat Baloach, Naib Ameer Azhar Iqbal Hassan, district Ameer Dr Tariq

Salim and Raja Arshad advocate led the rally which started from Nawab Sahib Chowk and culminated at Pakistan Chowk.

The participants were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the price hike. They also chanted slogans against the PPP-led coalition government for its failure to control the prices.

Addressing the rally, Liaqat Baloach slammed the government for its inability to overcome flour and power crises and said instead of providing immediate relief to the masses the government had been increasing the oil and gas prices hitting every segment of society.

He alleged the PPP had proved instrumental in strengthening President Pervez Musharraf and said if the party did not change its policies its would also have to face public wrath like the PML-Q did.

He urged Nawaz Sharif to join hands with the lawyer’s movement for the reinstatement of the deposed judges.

He said like Asif Zardari in the centre, Shahbaz Sharif was ruling in Punjab, so both the ruling parties should stop playing jokes with the people of Pakistan.

He urged the government to provide relief to the common people by minimising the prices of daily-use commodities.