DID Press: Thousands of people took part in demonstrations in several Pakistani cities, protesting rising fuel prices, heavy taxation and mounting inflation.
Thousands of Pakistanis marched in major cities across the country, including Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, against the government’s economic policies, which have led to unprecedented increases in fuel prices, heavy taxes and double-digit inflation.
The protests, organized at the call of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, highlighted the depth of public dissatisfaction with economic policies that critics say have been formulated under the direction of international financial institutions.
Protesters chanted slogans accusing the government of following foreign directives and ignoring the livelihoods of low-income and vulnerable segments of society.
Leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami said during the demonstrations that protests would continue until the government regains its economic independence from pressure by Western powers and international lenders and reforms what they described as anti-people tax policies.