LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf workers held a demonstration here on Sunday in protest against the fresh increase in petrol prices.
Led by PTI’s provincial president Ejaz Chaudhry, general secretary Dr Yasmin Rashid, information secretary Andleeb Abbas and MPA Mian Aslam Iqbal, the protesters beat their chests and raised slogans against the government.
They leaders said that the government had increased the petroleum prices several times after coming to power thus making lives of the poor miserable.
Mr Chaudhry said the PTI had decided to organise demonstrations in all district headquarters on Monday to press the government to withdraw its decision.
He said at a time when people were already suffering high inflation, the PML-N government had attacked them with a ‘petrol bomb’.
He said people should not expect anything good from the PML-N government because it had come to power six times and every time it had failed to deliver.
During the speeches, the PTI workers, who gathered in front of the press club, kept chanting slogans.
Dr Yasmin said the PTI workers would take to the streets to get the price hike decision reversed if the government did not do so.
Andleeb Abbas said the government was taxing the masses on the dictation of the IMF because it had taken heavy loans from the international institution.
She claimed that the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) had suggested to the government not to increase the oil prices, but the government acted against Ogra’s advice because of the IMF’s pressure.
She feared that the government decision would send prices of food items skyrocketing, affecting the already burdened poor people.
Ms Abbas said the PTI would continue its protest until the PML-N government reversed its decision.
MPAs Shanilsa Rowt, Nosheen Hamid Meraj, Sadia Sohail and others also attended the protest.