Hundreds of people participated in a rally held under the banner of Pakistan
Awami Tehreek Lahore today. The rally was organized to protest against the government’s
practice of hiking gas and power prices as well as worst energy shortages in the
country. It started from Garhi Shahu and concluded at Lahore Press Club. The demonstration
was led by Irshad Ahmad Tahir and PAT Lahore President Afzal Gujjar. Hafizullah
Javed, Sanaullah Khan, Hafiz Ghulam Farid, Dr Iqbal Noor, Haji Akhtar, Haji Abdul
Khaliq, and other leaders of PAT Lahore chapter were also present on the occasion.
The protestors were carrying placards with anti-hike slogan. Speaking on the
occasion, Amir of Minhaj-ul-Quran International Lahore, Irshad Ahmad Tahir, said that the present government was responsible for aggravating the energy crisis in the country. The worst power and gas load-shedding had destroyed the country’s economy besides increasing unemployment and poverty ratio. He said that the people were forced to commit suicide while the government
did little to stem the downward slide of things.
Irshad Ahmad Tahir said that the government was only concerned about saving itself
and was focused on finding ways and means to attain this objective. He said that
the country actually suffered from the leadership crisis and the failure of leadership
at the top was basically responsible for the sorry state of affairs in every walk
of life.
Irshad Tahir said that Parliament looked after the interests of only 2% of the
power elite and did not have any kind of interest in the public issues. He said
that the present electoral system would have to be sent packing because it had snatched
from them their right to life. The life of the masses, he said, had paralysed in
view of power and gas shortages.
In his address to the demonstrators, PAT President of Lahore, Afzal Gujjar said
that if the public anger exploded, it would sweep the rulers away. He said that
the demonstration was a manifestation of the fact that the people were fed up with
the status quo and wanted change in their lives. He said that there was need of
sustained struggle to restore people’s rights.
