PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party Chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao here on Friday lambasted the federal government for being unable to give relief to the people in the face of rising inflation.

Addressing a function in Peshawar to mark the ninth foundation day of his party, Mr Sherpao held the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government responsible for the miseries being faced by the people due to increasing prices of essential commodities.

“The recent increase in the tariff of petroleum products has further pushed up inflation,” he remarked.

Lending all-out support to the Pakistan Democratic Movement, he said his party was also starting staging protests to chide the rulers for failing to rein in inflation and mitigate the sufferings of the have-nots.

Calls for free and fair polls in the country

Demanding the prime minister to resign, he called for holding free and fair elections to allow the electorate to elect their true representatives to help address the challenges facing the country.

“This government has failed on all fronts. The country is under huge debt. The economy is failing. The rupee is going down,” he noted with concern.

The PTI government, the QWP leader maintained, lacked the vision and ability to meet the challenges and overcome the crises.

“The country is limping from one crisis to another. There is no end to controversies,” he said, adding the government could not come up with a clear policy with regard to the developments taking place in Afghanistan.

Fearing resurgence of militancy, he urged the government to take corrective steps or else the situation could spin out of control.

Mr Sherpao condemned the harassment of journalist community and the bid to introduce the Pakistan Media Development Authority to stifle press freedom. He said the QWP would spare no effort to uphold democracy and help the oppressed get justice.

He said the time had come for the leadership of the political parties to lead protests against the soaring prices of essential commodities to put pressure on the government to ease difficulties of the people.

The QWP workers, led by Mr Sherpao, also staged a protest demonstration against inflation by blocking the GT Road near Gulbahar.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2021