PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (ANP) staged demonstrations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday to register protest against rising prices of essential commodities in the country.

A statement issued here said that protest demonstrations and rallies were held at tehsil level in all the districts of the province. ANP leaders and elected representatives addressed the protest rallies. Several rallies were organised in different parts of the provincial capital.

ANP senior leader Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, central finance secretary Senator Hidayatullah, MPAs Khushdil Khan, Samar Bilour, Salahuddin and others addressed the rallies.

In Shangla, ANP central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain addressed the rallies and alleged that government forced the poor to commit suicide.

Protesters say govt forcing poor to commit suicide

The rallies were held in Aloch and Puran areas of the district.

Mr Hussain alleged that National Accountability Bureau was biased as it was degrading innocent people in fabricated cases. He alleged that clean chits were given to the PTI’s corrupt ministers and advisers.

He said that it was time to oust the government. He said that prime minister was responsible for inflation.

In Charsadda, like other parts of the province, ANP staged protest demonstrations against price hike and unemployment in all three tehsils including Charsadda, Tangi and Shabqaddar.

Addressing, the protest rally at Farooq Azam Chowk, ANP provincial leader Qasim Ali Mohammadzai, Taimoor Khan Khattak, former nazim Farman Ali Khan, trader leader Lal Mohammad Khan and PkSF leader Naveed Gigyani condemned government for inflation in the country.

They alleged that flawed policies of rulers compelled the poor to commit suicide. They said that government failed to run the affairs of the country. They added that people wanted to get rid of the government.

In Batkhela, the Malakand chapter of the party held protest against inflation and demanded of the people to take to streets to oust the government.

Led by ANP district president Ejaz Ali and Fazl Nabi, the protesters chanted slogans against the government. The rally started from party office at Batkhela and after passing through main bazaar reached Old Bus Stand where speakers addressed the protesters.

In Swat, the local chapter of ANP staged protests against the price hike and inflation in all the tehsils of the district including Mingora, Charbagh, Khwazakhela, Bahrain, Matta, Kabul and Barikot.

Led by ANP president Ayoub Khan Asharey, the protesters walked from Grassy Ground and gathered at Nishat Chowk where they joined the PDM camp.

“Due to the rising price hike and unemployment, people have started committing suicides but the incompetent rulers are following the dictation of International Monetary Fund,” said the ANP leaders.

In Mardan, the ANP leaders blamed the government for price-hike, inflation and poor economic policies.

The ANP protesters were led by former MNA Himayatullah Mayar, former MPA Ahmad Khan Bahadar, Ali Khan, MPA Shahida Waheed Hoti and Nazia Shah.

The ANP workers took out the protest rally from the party district office that was converted into public meeting at Pakistan Chowk after passing through various bazaars.

In Lower Dir, ANP staged protest rallies in Timergara, Chakdara and other parts of the district against inflation and increase in the prices of petroleum products.

The ANP workers gathered outside Timergara Press Club and chanted slogans against the government for its failure to control inflation, unemployment and corruption in the country.

Addressing the protesters, ANP district vice-president Malik Sajjad, president of Malgari Wakeelan Advocate Syed Bahadar, former nazim Ibrahim Khan and others said the current inflation and unemployment had made the life of people miserable.

In Bajaur, hundreds of ANP workers took to streets to protest inflation and unemployment in the country.

Besides party workers, traders, students and locals attended the demonstrations in a large number. The rallies were held in Khar, Inayat Kallay and Nawagai areas of the tribal district.

In Khar, the headquarters of the tribal district, ANP activists accompanied by traders and students were holding banners and placards inscribed with anti-inflation slogans.

They started the rally from old bazaar and reached the main square after passing through different places.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2021