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Deepening public outrage over crippling economic mismanagement saw massive demonstrations paralyse Pakistan, as widespread anger against soaring fuel prices, an oppressive petroleum levy and rampant inflation brought daily life to a standstill across multiple major cities, according to a report by Express Tribune.
Severe disruptions engulfed transport and commercial hubs as rallies, sit-ins and blockades erupted at more than 500 points on Friday, choking vital arteries and inter-city expressways in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Abbottabad. Demonstrators voiced intense frustration against the administration's punitive tax measures, displaying banners demanding an immediate rollback of the controversial petroleum tax and relief from the spiralling cost of living. The massive agitation was spearheaded by the right-wing party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), whose chief, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, cautioned that the unrest would escalate sharply across the country in the coming days, as per Pakistan-based Express Tribune. Addressing a protest gathering in Lahore, Rehman termed Friday's chaotic blockades as merely a "trailer" and asserted that the primary phase of the anti-government movement had yet to commence. Laying out plans to escalate pressure on the administration, Rehman announced that the subsequent leg of demonstrations would involve major sit-ins targeting government headquarters, specifically outside the Punjab Chief Minister's House in Lahore and the respective Governor Houses in Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta on Sunday, August 9. He further instructed cadres to launch an aggressive door-to-door campaign to mobilise public anger ahead of the upcoming blockades. Launching a scathing attack on the nation's failing fiscal trajectory, the JI leader charged that state-imposed fuel levies and exorbitant electricity costs have placed an unbearable strain on an already struggling populace. He accused successive ruling elites of completely failing to deliver economic relief, alleging that state machinery consistently prioritises elite interests over ordinary citizens. Rehman also rejected the government's stance blaming International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditionalities for its inability to cut taxes. He warned that the disruptive street agitation could turn into an extended campaign if public demands are ignored, maintaining that the party would push its offensive for people's rights. The widespread unrest highlights the severe economic distress gripping Pakistan, where unchecked inflation and continuous fuel price hikes have severely impacted transport and essential commodities, triggering intense public backlash against the cash-strapped nation's governance. (ANI)
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