PTI agitation mars livestock sector in KP
PESHAWAR (APP): The ongoing protests, demonstrations and agitation politics by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have severely disrupted various sectors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including livestock and poultry.
In the wake of road blockages and closures of motorways due to violent protest demonstrations by the PTI workers, the province witnessed a sharp rise in the prices of animals and poultry, compounding the difficulties faced by the general public.
Misal Khan, a retired government employee, shared his frustrations with the situation at the Lala Kala cattle market in Peshawar and said, “I came from Nowshera to buy a buffalo for my son’s wedding, but the prices are beyond what I can afford. A buffalo is being sold for Rs 3 lakh to Rs 4 lakh, compared to Rs 250,000 before the PTI protests,” he said. The price hike is attributed to shortages of livestock, including buffalo, cows, and oxen, resulting from the blockade of roads and highways among provinces.
The poultry sector has also been severely impacted, with chicken prices soaring in the province where one two kilogram a live chicken are being sold at Rs1200 these days. The shortage of chickens coming from neighboring districts such as Manshera, Batagram, and Abbottabad, as well as from Punjab, has exacerbated the problems.
He noted that these price hikes are particularly affecting middle-class families who are already burdened with rising living costs in KP.
Mosa Khan, an interprovincial livestock dealer at the same market, revealed that he had invested around Rs 2 million to transport cattle from Qasur, Punjab, to meet the demand for marriage season livestock in KP. However, due to the ongoing PTI protests and agitation, his shipment had not arrived, leading to significant financial losses. The prolonged protests have resulted in a scarcity of animals, driving prices even higher.
Arbab Usman Khan, an administrator of the Lala Kala cattle market, confirmed the shortage of animals, attributing the rise in prices to limited livestock availability. He added that the closure of roads has disrupted the supply chain, further driving up costs for both domestic and imported animals.
He predicted that if the protests of PTI continued, prices would continue to rise, potentially delaying wedding ceremonies and other events reliant on livestock for traditional rituals.
Local businesses especially of Chappli Kabab are also feeling the pinch. Haji Arif Khan, owner of a well-known Chappli Kabab house in Peshawar, lamented the shortage of meat in the market. “Our business was thriving during the marriage season, but now we’re struggling these days due to the lack of meat supply. The prices of dairy products and other ingredients have also risen,” he said. Arif Khan feared that if the protests persist, many laborers may lose their jobs, further deepening the economic woes of the region.
Political experts have weighed in on the impact of PTI’s agitations and protest demonstration in the federal capital. Professor Dr ZA Hilali, former Chairman of the Political Science Department at the University of Peshawar, criticized the reliance on agitation politics, which he said has historically undermined democratic governance in Pakistan.
He noted that such political unrest, characterized by long marches and sit-ins, detracted from the stability necessary for economic growth and prosperity in Pakistan. He pointed to Pakistan’s troubled political history, where agitation movements have often resulted in military interventions and the overthrow of democratically elected governments.
He said democracy thrives on continuity and respect for electoral mandates and not on disrupting the political process through street protests. He pointed to past instances, such as the 1977 general elections and the 2014 PTI sit-in, where political unrest had severely destabilized the country’s governance.
Political leaders have also weighed in on the situation. Ikhtiar Wali Khan, PMLN’s KP Information Secretary, accused PTI of indulging in “aimless agitation politics,” which he argued would only exacerbate the suffering of the people.
He argued that PTI’s actions were a diversionary tactic, intended to deflect attention from governance failures in KP, particularly in relation to the Billion Trees Project and the ongoing issues with the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project in Peshawar.
Former KP Minister Wajid Ali Khan echoed this sentiment, calling PTI’s agitation a “political gimmick.” He contended that PTI’s rhetoric had increasingly targeted state institutions, damaging Pakistan’s political and economic stability.
He emphasized that the people of KP, who are heavily reliant on the transport and tourism sectors, would bear the brunt of the road blockages and protests.
The experts agreed that Pakistan’s future lies in political maturity and constructive engagement, rather than disruptive protests. They stressed that the country’s leaders, both in government and opposition, must prioritize the collective well-being of the people, fostering a tolerant and stable political environment that will enable Pakistan to achieve its true potential.
The experts expressed the hope that PTI would withdraw its protest and fought PTI founder cases in courts, which was a dignified solution to get relief in democratic system.
