DERA ISMAIL KHAN (Kashmir English): Several residents of Dera Ismail Khan have criticised Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) call for protests in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, questioning the party’s priorities amid rising inflation, unemployment and other public hardships.
The criticism comes as JUI-F has called for demonstrations across the province on November 15. The party announced the protests over the provincial anti-encroachment campaign, alleged propaganda against its leadership and concerns surrounding the management of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s mineral resources.
A resident said political leaders had failed to adequately address the economic difficulties faced by ordinary people, arguing that they become active during election campaigns and political disputes but remain less visible when citizens need relief.
The resident pointed to the rising cost of essential commodities, claiming that flour had reached Rs165 per kilogram and that sugar and ghee had become increasingly unaffordable for low-income families. He questioned why elected representatives who had won seats multiple times had not done more to address these concerns.
Another resident claimed that turnout at a designated protest location in Dera Ismail Khan was very low by the scheduled time of 10:30 am, with only around eight to ten people present. The claim was presented as evidence of limited local participation in the protest call.
A woman at the scene also criticised the party leadership, questioning why political demonstrations were organised over disputes concerning power and government participation while issues such as unemployment, inflation and terrorism continued to affect the public.
She argued that political leaders should prioritise public welfare and remember their responsibility to citizens rather than treating political office as a means of pursuing personal interests.
Some residents said they would not participate in the demonstrations, describing the protest call as disconnected from the immediate economic concerns of ordinary families.
The views expressed by the residents reflect criticism in Dera Ismail Khan and should not be taken as evidence of province-wide public opinion. The reported attendance figures at protest sites have also not been independently verified.
