KHAR: Jamaat-i-Islami workers on Saturday held a protest demonstration against increasing prices of wheat flour and other essential commodities in the country.

Scores of party workers, traders and local residents attended the demonstration held in Khar Bazaar. The participants were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the government for failing to control rising inflation.

The protest was led by JI local chapter leaders, including its district chief Maulana Waheed Gul and former head Qari Abdul Majeed.

The rally started from Bajaur Press Club and reached the GT Road after passing through different markets and places, where it turned into a public gathering.

The protesters slammed the government for the worst inflation. They said the nation had voted the PTI to power over its slogans of bringing change and end corruption in the country. However, they regretted that record inflation had exposed the “anti-people” agenda of the PTI government.

They termed the inflation a result of the wrong polices of the government. They said the government did not launch any public welfare scheme or give any relief to the people since it came to power.

They also lashed out at the provincial government for not taking steps to overcome the flour crisis. They pointed out that the people of Bajaur were facing problems in getting wheat flour, but the district administration had taken no tangible steps to ensure availability of the commodity at the controlled rate.

The JI leaders also expressed anger over the prolonged power crisis in the region and said most of the areas had been without electricity for last several weeks.

They called for immediate steps to address the problems of wheat flour shortage and electricity loadshedding in the Bajaur tribal district.

Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2020