QUETTA: Protesters in Balochistan’s capital city on Sunday heaped scorn for proposed increase in lawmakers’ salaries, while the general public is combating high inflation, including higher food prices.

Several workers from the Pakistan Workers Confederation took out a demonstration holding placards and posters inscribed with anti-government slogans. They marched on various roads and ended up outside the Quetta Press Club where they chanted anti-government slogans and made speeches.

“The government has plans to increase the salaries of the parliamentarians and no such plans for poor government employees,” said one of the protest leaders in his speech.

“The wheat crisis, the high prices of essential food items along with raised prices of petroleum products are disturbing,” said another.

The protesters asked the federal and provincial governments to create basic policies in favour of the general public before dreaming of a Madina-like state.

“The government must provide relief to the middle class and the poor,” they said.

“If the government fails to do so then we will have no choice but to widen the protest,” they added.

Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2020