ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is set to hold on Friday (today) nationwide protests against “price hike, increase in poverty and unemployment” in the country.

The party will organise protests at the district level after Friday prayers on the call of the PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who himself is expected to participate in the protest rally in Larkana.

A source in the party said the PPP chairman was unwell due to his recent hectic political activities in his hometown. However, he said, Mr Bhutto-Zardari is willing to take part in the protest rally despite his poor health condition.

Besides protests in all the four provinces, the PPP’s Azad Kashmir chapter has also organised a number of protests in the valley.

Bilawal likely to lead a rally in Larkana

The call for the countrywide protest had been given by the PPP chairman while speaking at a gathering of select party workers at the residence of a party leader in Larkana’s Garibabad locality on October 25. While directing the party workers and leaders to actively participate in the protests, Mr Bhutto-Zardari recalled that the PPP had recorded protest against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s IMF-dictated budget.

PPP information secretary Faisal Karim Kundi in a statement here on Thursday criticised the government’s economic policies and expressed the hope that the people would take active part in the “historic protests” throughout the country.

Mr Kundi, who had served as deputy speaker of the National Assembly during the PPP previous government, once again reiterated the party’s stance that it was the appropriate time to move no-confidence motions against Prime Minister Imran Khan and Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar. He said the no-confidence motion was the only best option available to the opposition parties to get rid of the present set-up.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2021