Peshawar police use tear gas to disperse PPP protesters

PESHAWAR: Police resorted to tear gas shelling at a Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) protest at Assembly Chowk in Peshawar, triggering chaos as enraged demonstrators set fire to a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest camp.

The police action came during a speech by PPP’s central secretary general Humayun Khan, who was addressing a rally held under the party’s “save the province” campaign.

While the tear gas dispersed many of the protesters, PPP workers reportedly torched a PTI protest camp that had been set up to demand the release of former prime minister Imran Khan.

Speaking at the rally, PPP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Mohammad Ali Shah Bacha said corruption was rampant in the province and jobs were being sold.

Also read: Terrorists attack Peshawar police station, officer martyred 

“I send a message to the corrupt chief minister and this corrupt government: the next protest will march will be on the Chief Minister’s House,” he warned. “Today, PPP workers have shown their strength. The CM should know that the PPP is now awake.”

He said that the “save the province” campaign would continue until the government was ousted. He announced plans to march on the Chief Minister’s House after Eidul Azha.

Referring to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Bacha said, “Just as Bilawal resolved Sindh’s water issue with the federal government, he must now play a role in ending the severe electricity load-shedding in the province.”

He also claimed terrorism would only end when the PPP returns to power. “Bilawal has played a key role in giving India a fitting response, unlike PTI, whose track record is in front of everyone.”

He concluded by paying tribute to the Pakistan Army for its strong response to India.