Naib Amir Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Senator Professor Ghafoor Ahmed on Wednesday demanded of the provincial government to immediately withdraw recent increase in public transport fares otherwise it would have to face massive agitation in result of MMA's protest campaign.
Addressing a protest demonstration in front of Karachi Press Club (KPC) by JI against increasing poverty, unemployment and increase in petroleum prices, JI leader condemned recent increase in public transport fares and alleged that provincial government has completely failed in providing relief to masses.
President Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) Sindh MNA Asadullah Bhutto, MNA Muhammad Hussain Mehnti, MPAs Maulana Umer Sadiq, Nasarullah Shajee and others also spoke.
A large number of people including women and children attended the demonstration at KPC and chanted slogans against poverty, unemployment, and increase in petroleum prices and demanded provincial government to stop burdening people.
Senator Professor Ghafoor Ahmed maintained that recent increase in public transport fares is an open and clear intervention by the provincial government into affairs of the City Government Karachi and it has no right to burden people by increasing fares.
He invited other political forces in Sindh including Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and other opposition parties to join hands with JI against the recent price hike and increase in public transport fares.
JI leader further said that after formation of coalition government in Sindh, Muttahida Qaumi Movement was given ministries, seat of the provincial Governor and other important posts and it was being predicted that Muttahida would provide relief to masses.
"Instead, people witness price-hike of essential commodities, petroleum prices, shortage of flour, increase in dacoities, growing incidents of car and bike-snatching and other crimes," he said, adding that provincial government and Sindh Governor were cheating people of Sindh.
He said petroleum prices were increased all over the country but no other provincial government in the country bowed before threats of transporters and unilaterally increased public transport fares.
Professor Ghafoor alleged that Muttahida favoured transporters in their demand to increase public transport fares and pressurised the Secretary Transport to issue the notification.
MMA MNA Muhammad Hussain Mehnti termed re-setting of petroleum prices after every fortnightly a 'fraud' as Pakistan obtains major portion of oil from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait on subsidised rates.
He demanded of the government to abandon the practice of increasing petroleum prices and said this increase ultimately results in price-hike of all other commodities and consumer goods.
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