LAHORE, June 14: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) workers and supporters staged on Friday a protest demonstration against, what they see, the anti-people federal budget and chanted slogans against the government.
Protesters waved banners and placards bearing inscriptions such ‘Stop economic murder of salaried class’, ‘Decrease power prices’, ‘Decrease GST’, ‘Stop anti-farmer policies’, ‘Decrease tax on pesticides’, ‘Withdraw tax on milk and sugar’ and ‘Withdraw tax on students’ fee’.
PTI Punjab President Ejaz Chaudhry, Secretary-General Dr Yasmin Rashid, Lahore President Abdul Aleem Khan and Umer Zaheer Meer spoke to reporters.
Mr Chaudhry demanded that the federal government refrain from imposing new taxes and instead lessen levied taxes to give a relief to the common man. “If taxes are not withdrawn, the PTI workers and supporters will come to roads,” he said.
He said PTI Chairman Imran Khan would announce future course of action in the National Assembly. He said the PML-N had made tall claims in its manifesto but failed to give any relief to labourers, salaried class and common people. He said development funds being given to MPAs and MNAs would become a source of corruption.
Dr Yasmin said the imposition of sales tax would trigger price hike, while increase in petroleum and electricity prices would devastate common people’s life.
PR workers: Railways workers forced engines of three express trains to stop in the locomotive shed in protest against the PML-N government for not raising salaries in budget.
As soon as the Jafar, Allama Iqbal and Awam express trains reached the railway station, their engines were dispatched to the locoshed for routine maintenance and re-fuelling. The shed employees, who had been observing a two-hour symbolic strike daily since the budget announcement, forced the engines to stop and started chanting slogans against the government. They allowed the engines to move after the high-ups assured them of accepting their demands.
The All Pakistan Clerks Association also staged a demonstration, demanding the government raise their salaries.