QUETTA: A multiparty conference (MPC) organised by the opposition parties in Balochistan decided on Wednesday to observe July 25 as black day against unprecedented hike in prices, imposition of heavy taxes, alleged rigging in the last year’s general elections and fake cases against their leaders.

Among others, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Balochistan chapter president Ali Madad Jattak, National Party’s secretary general Mir Jan Mohammad Buledi, Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Mir Gohar Khan Mengal of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Awami National Party (ANP) Balochistan chapter general secretary Mabat Khan Kakar and Amir of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Balochistan chapter Maulana Abdul Wasay attended the conference.

Multiparty conference says PTI government has failed to deliver

After conclusion of the MPC, Maulana Abdul Wasay said at a press conference that this conference was in continuity of the Islamabad conference. Despite being a part of the coalition government of Balochistan, the ANP attended the conference.

The opposition leaders criticised the federal government and said that it had failed to deliver but increased the people problems of by adopting wrong policies.

They said the country was facing the worst economic crisis in history as the masses were facing unprecedented increase in prices of gas, electricity and other essential commodities.

The leaders said that the government had imposed heavy taxes in the federal budget which had broken the backbone of the poor people as their purchasing power was affected badly.

Maulana Wasay said the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) had no right to stay in power and the opposition parties would not allow it to rule any more as it would destroy the country’s economy.

“We will have to launch a movement against the PTI government to save democracy and the country from further destruction,” he said, adding that if the opposition parties did not launch movement against the government the people would not forgive them.

The JUI-F leader said that his party would stage a million march in Islamabad on July 25.

Abdul Rehim Ziaratwal of the PkMAP said that the people’s mandate was stolen through massive rigging in the 2018 general election. “We will observe a back day on July 25 against rigging in elections.”

Ali Madad Jattak of the PPP said that the PTI government had become a disappointment with its lack of interest in solving public issues. “Inflation is forcing people to commit suicide. The PTI is only focusing on political vendetta as the recent arrest of PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah is a glaring example of it.”

Mabat Khan Kakar of the ANP said that although his party was part of the provincial government it would take part in the protest as the party’s central leadership had decided to launch a movement against the PTI government. “We are bound by the decisions of the central leadership,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2019