Muzaffarabad [PoK] : The Imran Khan government is facing flak from residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) amid unprecedented price hike in gas and essential food items. Talking to ANI, a PoK resident said, “The life of the poor in Muzaffarabad has become hell. Rising inflation has jumbled up the budget of the marginalised. Yesterday, one of my friends got a gas cylinder at the cost of Rs 2500.” Khan’s government is facing countrywide protests over rising inflation and price hike on food items. Moreover, the opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) is holding ‘mehngai’ march across the nation protesting over inflation and price hike. PDM has launched a scathing criticism against the Imran Khan government and demanded snap elections to rid the people of the “illegitimate and incompetent” rulers. Another Muzaffarabad native talking to ANI said, “Imran Khan had promised employment to us, he got nothing. The life of the common man has become difficult under his regime. The price of everything is shooting up, be it petrol, food. Sugar which used to cost Rs 110 is now available at Rs 140.”
Imran Khan had vowed to lift people out of poverty before gaining power as he promised the creation of 10 million jobs. Instead, he announced financial support of USD3 billion from Riyadh after his visit to Saudi Arabia last month. The rate of inflation in Pakistan is the fourth highest in the world. It comes at a time when the unemployment in the country is high and the wages are stagnant. The prices of fuel and electricity are “unprecedentedly high”.
