Staff Reporter Karachi
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that prices of essential and basic food items have increased to such an extent that people have been forced to come onto the streets to protest against the defective socio-economic policy of the `selected ruler’ inducted in Islamabad.
This he said while addressing a protest rally taken out by the people of Malir against price hike at DawoodChowrangi on Friday evening.
He was accompanied by his cabi-net members, advisors, special assistants, coordinators from Malir.
Murad Ali Shah said that the prices of essential commodities and basic food items such as atta, ghee, vegetables and pulses have been increased to such an extent that people could not afford two square meals.
“The hunger and helplessness have forced the people to stage protests onto the streets to send the `selected ruler’ back to home,” he said and added that this poor country could not afford such a naïve, inefficient and ineffective prime minister.
Mr Shah said that Pakistan was a poor country and its economy had no space to ab-sorb inefficient and defective policies which were bound to snatch simple bread and butter from the poor people.
“Prime Minister used to say that if the price of a dollar goes up by one rupee it means the ruler was corrupt and thief,” the chief minister recalled and said during the tenure of the `selected ruler’ dollar has gone up by over Rs50 and now people of this country has to decide who is corrupt and thief.
The CM said that he [PM] has spent his entire life out of the country and he has no first-hand knowledge of the poverty in Pakistan.
“He has a very limited vision to frame the polices, now his further stay in power would destroy the country, therefore he should be ousted,” he said.
Murad Ali Shah said that keeping in view the plight of the poor people Chairman Bi-lawal Bhutto has urged the party to stage protest rallies against price hike and defec-tive policies of the rulers in every city so that their policies could be exposed.
Mr Shah said that under the leadership of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Pakistan Peoples’ Party would steer the country out of the present socio-political crisis.
“Bilawal Bhutto would lead the country to change the lifestyle of poor people,” he said and added only true peoples leaders like Bilawal Bhutto were capable enough to frame pro-poor policies.
The protesters raised slogans against the federal government and demanded removal of the prime minister.
The women had participated in the protest rally carrying `nan’ in their hands just to show that they could not afford it.
The chief minister said that the people involved in the sugar, and wheat crisis were close aides of the prime minister but he [PM] was giving lectures on eliminating cor-ruption.
“The prices of petrol and diesel have broken all the previous records, there-fore prices of every item right from vegetables to cooking oil have gone out of reach of poor people.
“This is a sheer enmity with the poor people of this country and the rulers who have snatched a `simple morsel’ from the children of poor people has re-mained no more in power in this country,” he warned.
Murad Ali Shah said that the time has ripe to oust the selected ruler and bring the truly elected representatives like Bilawal Bhutto in power to serve the people to the best of their abilities.
The protesters raised the slogans of `Prime Minister Bilawal Bhutto’.
PPP General Secretary Sindh Waqar Mahdi also spoke on the occasion and criticised the PTI government for its failed policies.
PDM sit in against rising inflation
The opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) will kick off its pro-test drive against price hikes in Karachi today.
In Karachi, a rally held at Empress Market at 3pm.
JUI-F chief and PDM head MaulanaFazlurRehman postponed his visit to Karachi to lead a protest rally against inflation, he said, adding the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Sindh chapter leadership would also participate in the protest dem-onstration.
“The PDM held a massive protest demonstration at Empress Market in Karachi’s Saddar after Friday prayers,” the JUI-F general secretary said.
