RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) supporters and workers on Friday staged protest rallies in different parts of the garrison city against inflation and put forth their demand for the government to conduct early elections.

Former member of National Assembly Sheikh Rashid Shafique and former member of provincial assembly Arif Abbasi brought out a rally from Marrir Hasan to Sir Syed Chowk while the second rally was led by Amir Mehmood Kiani from Chairing Cross on Peshawar Road to Bank Road, Saddar.

The protesters carried placards and chanted slogans against the federal government and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. They demanded early elections of the national and provincial assemblies on the same day.

Speakers said that because of inflation in the country, people were finding it difficult to make ends meet. They said that the government was busy looting money and left the people unattended.

They said that the prices of wheat flour increased many fold and sky-rocketing chicken prices made the lives of the poor miserable. They said that during the tenure of Imran Khan, the people were getting edibles at low prices while the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government has failed to provide any relief to masses.

They said that after dissolution of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies, general elections would be announced, adding that the country would not be on the path to development unless there was political stability.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2023