Fifty-five per cent Pakistanis have declared the performance of the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government as under par, 13% above par, while 32% found it according to their expectations, according to a survey, conducted by Ipsos.
The survey results made public on Saturday showed that 46% of dejected people said they had voted for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the 2018 elections. People said the provincial governments and the opposition parties also fail to come up to their expectations during the last three years, according to News International. Further, every three Pakistanis out of five said they were disappointed by the provincial government’s performance. Also, 56% of people showed their dissatisfaction with the opposition parties’ performance during this period.
The survey was conducted from December 18 to 24, 2021, and 1,100 people were interviewed for the purpose. Those showing dissatisfaction with the government performance consisted of 56% of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) voters, 47% of Pakistan People’s Party voters and 51% other parties’ voters, according to News International.
63% of Pakistanis showed displeasure at the provincial governments’ performance apart from the Federal government, 10% found performance above par while 27% declared it according to the expectations reflecting the performance of the Imran Khan government.
A large majority of criticising the provincial governments’ performance, 82%, belonged to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces. 75% in Sindh and 52% in Punjab were found dissatisfied with their provincial governments’ performance.
56% of people found the opposition performance under par, 15% above par and 29% said it was according to their expectations.
PROTESTS
Scores of local men and women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Sunday blocked the road leading to the Torkham border and protested against prolonged power outages in the area.
Traffic on the main road leading to the Torkham border was suspended twice and women protesters blocked the main road near Shah Kas to vent their anger against the prolonged and unscheduled power suspension, which they said had badly affected their routine life, reported Dawn. The tribal women placed stones on the road while also staging a sit-in in order to convey their resentment about the frequent power outages and low voltage, which they said had also caused a shortage of drinking water.
Residents of Gharreeza locality, also in Jamrud, blocked the main road for the same reason and accused the local grid station staff of subjecting them to over 18 hours daily load shedding, reported Dawn.
Meanwhile, Pakistan opposition parties reject Fuel Price Adjustment (FPA) in electricity bills under the Imran Khan government and call for a refund of the amount.
Pakistan Opposition parties urge the imposition of exorbitant fuel price adjustment (FPA) in electricity bills and urged the federal government to refund the additional amount charged under this head to consumers in the next month’s bill, according to the Dawn.
FAR RIGHT ANGRY WITH IMRAN
Pakistan’s far-right Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq has called for the country’s Prime Minister Imran Khan’s resignation saying that there are mafias all over the country, and 2022 will be the last year of the ruling government.
Addressing a public rally in Islamabad, JI chief announced an anti-government movement and said that Pakistan’s central bank is no longer in its control, rather it has been subordinated to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), The Express Tribune reported. He called on called for State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Dr Reza Baqir’s resignation, saying if he is not removed, “we can besiege SBP”.
The JI chief pointed out the “failures” of the government, ranging from Pakistan’s retention on the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) ‘grey list’ to the introduction of a ‘mini-budget’.
He suggested a nexus between the government and the opposition, saying that the latter facilitated the former’s moves instead of talking about the public’s problems, the Pakistani publication reported.
He asked Imran Khan to tell the nation how many houses his government build out of the five million houses promised by the PTI).
He said that the incumbent government’s schemes are the same as its predecessors. He asked how can those who came to power through the support of the establishment undermine it now, The Express Tribune reported.
He said that the government has mortgaged the country’s economy. “Today, the situation is that 27 million youngsters are unemployed and there is no welfare, while retired judges and generals have been rewarded with government jobs,” he added.