PESHAWAR: Awami National Party has criticised the federal government for rising prices of essential commodities and unemployment and feared that the repeated increase in electricity tariff will add to the woes of the poverty-hit people in the country.

ANP provincial president Aimal Wali Khan in a statement here on Saturday expressed concern over the increase in prices of different essential commodities, including ghee by Rs48 per kg and cooking oil by Rs29 at utility stores, and said that hike in power tariff in short intervals was tantamount to dropping a ‘dearness bomb’ on the poor already burdened by high prices of flour, sugar and other items.

Aimal Wali said that the ‘selected’ government was not taking any practical steps to resolve people’s problems while the federal ministers, advisers and government spokespersons were lying and giving false consolation to the masses.

He said the price of per kg sugar had been increased by up to Rs42, daal mash up to Rs106 per kg besides other commodities during the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government. He said the prices of petroleum products and medicines were also increased manifold.

“The leaders of ‘Naya Pakistan’ are playing with the lives of poor masses,” he said and added that blaming the previous federal government for the existing price hike was an effort to mislead the nation.

The ANP leader asked the government to take appropriate initiatives for strengthening economy and controlling inflation. He said Imran Khan should fulfil the promises he had made during his 126-day sit-in in Islamabad.

In Lakki Marwat city, the district chapter of ANP announced to hold a demonstration on Monday (tomorrow) to demand recovery of missing persons.

The announcement was made at a meeting held here on Saturday with district president Ali Sarwar Khan in the chair. Member provincial council Malik Riaz Khan, general secretary Farmanullah Khan and other office-bearers, PkSF activists and Malgari Leekwaal were also present on the occasion.

It was decided that leaders and activists of ANP would gather outside the press club in Lakki city to record their protest against the government’s apathetic approach to the recovery of missing persons.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2021