CHARSADDA: People from different walks of life have expressed concern over steep rise in prices of essential items due to the prevailing political uncertainty in the country.

Political activists, traders, labourers, educationists and ulema during chat with Dawn on Sunday demanded of the government and opposition parties to end the present political crisis amicably through talks. They said that due to the ongoing protests and sit-ins by Pakistan Teheek-i-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Ittehad for the last 17 days had badly damaged the country’s economy.

The people said that if the situation continued masses would face multiple problems, adding the ultimate sufferers of the present crisis were the poor. They alleged that black-marketing and hoarding in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were on the rise due to absence of chief minister, his cabinet ministers and lawmakers in the province. They said that there was nobody to keep check on the galloping prices of daily use items.

They urged the ruling PML-N, PTI and PAT to end confrontation and come to the negotiating table to sort out differences amicably. They said the people had been fed up with the prevailing situation and wanted an end to the crisis.

Meanwhile, it was also learnt that prices of essential items had increased manifold during the ongoing political turmoil. It was seen that rate of 50kg sack of sugar increased from Rs2,680 to Rs2,950, potato per kg from Rs60 to 100 and tomatoes by Rs50, while price of 20kg wheat flour bag increased from Rs760 to Rs830. Similarly, prices of fruits also registered a steep increase in the recent days, further burdening the purchasing power of consumers.

PARTY SEEKS CHANGE: The Mazdoor Kisan Party central leader Afazal Khamosh has demanded change in the present set-up to what he said run the country smoothly.

Talking to mediapersons after party’s central executive committee meeting here, Mr Khamosh believed that the present democracy was not a real one as it was promoting cause of feudals and landlords.

About the Islamabad sit-ins, he said PTI and PAT demands were genuine, but the way of achieving them was wrong. He said PTI and PAT should take all political forces into confidence and launch a full fledge movement to pave the way for ‘genuine’ democracy in the country.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2014