PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) [alliance of opposition political parties] to launch nationwide protests rallies over high inflation on Wednesday [October 20].
The decision was taken during the PDM meeting in Islamabad. The PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has told a news conference that protests against high inflation would be held across the country from October 20 at district level. He said that protests will be staged at provincial and district headquarters to mobilise the people against the “anti-people polices” of the PTI government.
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Rehman added that there will be wheel jam strike and hoped that the protest will take the shape of wheel jam and long march towards Islamabad. Talking about the NAB ordinance, he said that the PDM has been rejected the ordinance. “We believe that NAB is one of the remnants of dictatorship, it has always been used for political revenge by the ruling party against its opponents.”
Fazlur Rehman said the PDM has rejected the government electoral reforms as the “PTI is itself the result of election rigging.” The PDM chief demanded that general elections immediately. “Until the legitimate government is formed, local body elections are unjustified,” the JUI-F leader said. “The PDM is not interfering in government affairs, but wants a democratic constitutional system.” Rehman said that the borders with Afghanistan and Iran have been closed and the PDM demandS that the borders be opened immediately.
Similarly, The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq announced country-wide protest rallies against inflation on 31 October. Haq said that the people of Pakistan are facing the highest inflation and unemployment in the region. He said that the JI has started a campaign against the “anti-people policies” of the government. Haq said that the party would decide the future course of action in its rally on Islamabad.