PESHAWAR: People belonging to different areas here on Wednesday held a protest demonstration against the recent hike in prices of petroleum products, electricity and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

The protesters threatened to launch a full-fledged campaign against the federal government. They gathered outside Peshawar Press Club and chanted slogans against the government. They demanded of the government to withdraw the decision of increase in prices of fuel, power and LPG immediately.

The protestors, led by Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML) leader Yawar Aftab and other office-bearers, said that rulers were following anti-poor policy instead of ending poverty. They threatened to widen the scope of protest if government did not reverse its decision.

The youth wing of Jamaat-i-Islami also demanded withdrawal of increase in fuel price. The leaders of JI youth wing threatened to besiege the offices of SNGPL against gas loadshedding in Garhi Sikandar Khan.

Traders threaten to launch campaign against price hike

“We will start protest movement if government does not accept our demands,” JI youth provincial president Mushtaq Ahmad Khalil told a rally.

Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry has also said that increase of Rs20 in price of petroleum products will bring industrial and export activities to a standstill in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

SCCI acting president Ijaz Afridi said in a statement that the products of local industries had already become uncompetitive in the world market owing to soaring cost of doing business. He said that a rapid negative growth was witnessed in the economy, businesses and industry under the prevailing circumstances.

Mr Afridi asked the government to avoid implementation of anti-businesses policies and take practical steps for ease of doing business. He said that the current policies of the government could put the national economy on right track.

He urged the government to take back its decision and reduce fuel prices according to international market. “Otherwise, SCCI along with other traders will have the only option to launch a protest campaign,” he added.

He said that the recent massive increase in fuel prices would prove detrimental for the national economy, businesses and industrial growth.

Our correspondent from Mardan adds: The local traders have announced to launch a phase-wise protest against the government for increase in power tariff and unscheduled loadshedding.

The leaders of Markaz-i-Tanzeem-i-Tajraan including Ishan Bacha, Mushtaq Seemab, Haji Maazullah, Ghulam Hussain Saraf and Haji Altaf told a press conference here the other day people were compelled to sell their property to pay the monthly bills of electricity.

They alleged that 23 bills were passed in the parliament in a single day but rulers did not take any step to provide relief to people. They said that the huge increase in electricity and gas tariffs as well as excessive loadshedding had not only made their lives miserable but also ruined their businesses.

They said that about 350 posts of lineman were vacant in the Mardan region owing to which people of district were facing difficulties. They said that they were facing daily power loadshedding for more than 10 hours in different intervals.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2023