Protesters took to the streets in Pakistan (file photo)
Islamabad: Is there going to be a coup in Pakistan like Bangladesh? Why have thousands of protesters come out on the streets against the government of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif? Everyone has posters, banners, pamphlets and flags in their hands. The protesters are roaming on the streets and shouting slogans against the government. A massive phase of strikes and protests has also begun here. Thousands of people are coming out on the streets and creating ruckus. This has already made the Pakistan government breathless. Pakistan is afraid that this movement may also turn into violence and riots like Bangladesh, from where there is a threat of a coup.
Traders went on strike on Wednesday to protest hike in electricity tariff and new taxes imposed on shopkeepers, shutting down their businesses in major cities and urban areas in Pakistan. The hike in electricity tariff by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s government has triggered widespread discontent since Pakistan signed an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a new US$7 billion loan last month.
Common people took to the streets due to increase in electricity bills
Due to the continuous increase in electricity prices, common Pakistanis are fed up and are now protesting. Today, most of the markets remained closed across Pakistan, although medicine shops and grocery shops remained open. Kashif Chaudhary, a leader of the strike, said that these shops were not closed so that the general public does not face inconvenience. Shops remained closed in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, nearby city Rawalpindi, the country’s cultural capital Lahore and main economic center Karachi. The strike was called by Naeem-ur-Rehman, head of the religious Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan party, and most of the business organizations supported it.
The condition of Pakistan is bad
Traders observed a partial strike in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southwestern Balochistan provinces, where few shops remained open. The strike is aimed at pressuring the government to roll back a recent hike in electricity bills and a controversial tax imposed following talks with the IMF. The agreement reached in July was the latest effort by Pakistan to shore up its economy and tackle its debts through financial support from the global lender. Earlier this year, the IMF approved a $1.1 billion emergency loan for Pakistan. (AP)
Read this also
In the midst of the war, Ukraine surprised Russia by testing the first indigenous ballistic missile, know what Zelensky said
This has happened only once in the 188-year history of the US presidential election, will Kamala Harris create a new record?
Latest World News