Driven by the unprecedented price-hike of food items and utilities, dozens of working class women, Tuesday, held a protest demonstration, under the auspices of Women Workers Help Line, in front of Lahore Press Club.

They raised full throat slogans against the government’s anti-poor economic policies, responsible for aggravating the living conditions of the poor. They condemned the PPP-led coalition government for ignoring the issue of price-hike on the pretext of judges’ issue. They also raised slogans against Musharraf and urged him to quit, blaming him responsible for most of the economic and social ills in today’s’ Pakistan.  Along with their children these women were holding banners and placards inscribed with their demands to end price-hike and give relief to the poor in the forthcoming budget. The protest continued for half an hour and later the participants dispersed peacefully.

Earlier the speakers at a seminar “End Poverty-Save Poor”, organized by Women Workers Help Line, at Lahore Press Club, said the issue of price-hike is more political than mere economic issue.

Speaking on the occasion, General Secretary Women Workers Help Line, Bushra Khaliq said the fresh wave of price-hike has made the life of the poor people hell.  The working class women are the first to feel the pinch of the price-hike. That is why the incidents of suicides of working class women are on the rise. She said working class women are very strong and have been struggling to combat with poverty but now they are unable to carry it on and committing suicide. She held the economic policies of the previous responsible for these horrible conditions.

She condemned the PPP-led coalition government for continuing the economic policies of the previous Musharraf regime and urged the government to fulfill its promises it made during the election campaign about roti, kara aur makan. If government continued with its current anti- poor policies the poverty-stricken masses will stand up against it, she warned. She demanded of the government to take immediate steps to end the artificial food crisis in the country and formulate pro- people economic policies in the forthcoming budget. The government must provide subsidies on food items and especially to the farmers in order to reduce the prices of eatables down.

Labour Party Pakistan, spokesperson, Farooq Tariq addressing the seminar said Musharraf regime is responsible for the current food crisis. He said the previous regime was master in fudging with facts and figures and they have been presenting a false economic picture of progress to the people. He said LPP condemns the government policy of ban on intra-district and intra-province transportation of wheat as it is against the human rights.

Criticizing the neo-liberal policies of the previous and the present government he said under free trade only capitalists are benefited and poor has to suffer. The fresh food crisis is a worst example of the free trade policies of the government.  He welcomed the government decision to go away with Kalabagh Dam project and termed it good omen for relation among provinces. He urged the government to give farmers subsidies on services like electricity, fertilizers, pesticides so that prices of food items could be reduced.

President PASSCO trade union, Rana Latafat speaking on the occasion said food crisis is a world wide phenomenon and many developing countries are in the grip of this crisis. He said real reason behind the recent food crisis is the enhanced trend of developing bio-fuels from agricultural production. Initially the bio-fuels were being produced from sugarcane but now they have started using maize also. This created a shortage of maize-produced feed in poultry. As a result the poultry sector started consumption of wheat, creating severe shortage of wheat for human consumption. In view of the prevailing situation there is no chance of coming down of the wheat prices in future, he opined.

Abdul Khaliq, a researcher expressing his views said price-hike is no doubt an international phenomenon but it is a political issue and government’s neo-liberal policies are responsible of this crisis. He said among other reasons of price hike the trend of cash crops among the farmers. He urged the government to reintroduce the policies in order to promote the trend of food crops among farmers. The increasing size of external loans is also a major reason behind this food crisis as government in stead of providing subsidies on food items is more pressured to repay the installments to different international financial institutions, he opined.

He said if appropriate measures are not taken the situation may lead towards a revolution. The incidents of street justice at the hands of masses should be eye opener for the ruling classes, he warned.

 Asia Afzal, a home-based worker said the price-hike is just like an octopus and it has made the life of poor women miserable and they unable to both ends meet. She also pointed out the complicated social issues; like domestic disputes, wife battering are emerging as result of the rising poverty. 

Jameela Bibi and Yousab Baloch also spoke on the occasion.