Pak opposition protest against Imran Khan govt over increasing prices of essential commodities

Pakistan's opposition parties on Saturday staged a demonstration against the ruling Imran Khan government for increasing prices of essential commodities in the country.

Activists of the opposition Awami National Party (ANP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) staged a demonstration in the native Marghuz village of National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser in Pakistan's Swabi district on Saturday to protest the increasing prices of essential commodities, Dawn reported.

They were holding placards and banners inscribed with slogans against the government and its policies.

Addressing the protesters, the speakers said that inflation had reached such an alarming level that the poverty-stricken people had been virtually forced to commit suicide because it was not possible for them to meet the needs of their families, a Pakistani publication reported.

ANP leader Akmal Khan said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had been ruling Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for eight years now, but during this period its leadership had made only empty pledges and did nothing for the masses, Dawn reported.

He said that inflation continued to climb during this period and had reached an unbearable point.

Other ANP activists said that they would now educate the people of the province about the causes of the price hike and expose the government's anti-people policies.

Meanwhile, ANP district president Amanullah and Mukhtiar Khan said that they would hold a protest on Monday (tomorrow), as the party leadership had directed for holding such gatherings across the province, a Pakistani publication reported.

They claimed that the situation had reached a point where people wanted to get rid of the incumbent regime. They appealed to the party workers to participate in the protests, Dawn reported.

( With inputs from ANI )