CHARSADDA: Jamaat-i-Islami activists and residents on Saturday staged a sit-in at Farooq Azam Chowk here against excessive petroleum levy, prolonged electric outages and gas loadshedding.
The protest was organised by the JI Charsadda chapter and was attended by district emir Shah Hussain Advocate, general secretary Fawad Ahmad Khan, district bar association president Mujeebur Rehman Advocate, Saifullah Durrani, deputy emir Misbahullah and others.
Addressing the protesters, Shah Hussain said the people were already struggling with inflation, unemployment and declining purchasing power, while new taxes and charges were adding to their difficulties.
He said the government should review policies that were increasing the financial burden on ordinary citizens instead of providing them relief. He maintained that the people had the right to basic civic facilities and affordable electricity, gas and food items.
Mr Shah said prolonged and unscheduled loadshedding had affected businesses and other economic activities. He urged the authorities to ensure a reliable supply of electricity and gas, particularly in areas where consumers were regularly facing lengthy outages.
Fawad Ahmad said the prices of essential food items had increased beyond the purchasing capacity of a large section of society. He said low-income families were finding it increasingly difficult to meet their daily household expenses.
He demanded effective measures to control prices and prevent profiteering and hoarding.
District bar association president Mujeebur Rehman said the provision of basic facilities was a responsibility of the state and citizens should not be forced to repeatedly take to the streetsfor theirfundamental rights.
Saifullah Durrani said the people of Charsadda were facing multiple problems simultaneously, including unemployment, inflation and inadequate public services.
Deputy emir Misbahullah also criticised the prevailing economic situation and said the government should prioritise public welfare.
GIRL KIDNAPPED: A 14-year-old girl was allegedly kidnapped from her home by armed men in the limits of Sardheri police station after her family rejected her marriage proposal, police said on Saturday.
According to the FIR lodged by the girl’s mother, her husband had gone out for some work while she, her daughter, mother-in-law and other family members were present at home.
She alleged that her brother Riaz, nephew Shaukat, a resident of Mardan, and two unidentified armed men scaled the boundary wall and entered her house.
The complainant alleged that Shaukat grabbed her daughter by the hand and forcibly took her outside with the intention of marrying her.
She said that the girl was bundled into a vehicle and taken to an unknown location.
The woman told police that Shaukat had earlier sought her daughter’s hand in marriage, but the family had turned down the proposal. The woman said that her daughter’s marriage had been verbally arranged with another relative.
Police registered a case under sections 365, 452 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code and launched an investigation.