Kazakh govt quits after protests over fuel prices

KABUL (Pajhwok): Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev accepted his government’s resignation on Wednesday, his office said.

The government tendered its resignation in the wake of violent protests over rising fuel prices, Deutsch Welle reported.

Alikhan Smailov has been nominated as acting prime minister, said a statement from the president’s office, cited by DW.

Following a series of angry protests in several locations, Tokayev also declared a two-week state of emergency.

The protests were triggered by lifting of price caps on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). As a result, fuel prices shot up in the Central Asian country.

Tokayev promised the price cap would be revived as a temporary price regulation for a period of 180 days.

An 11pm to 7am curfew, movement restrictions and a ban on mass gatherings are part of the emergency.

Earlier in the day, police used tear gas and stun grenades to drive protesters from Almaty’s main square, according to AFP, which reported more than 5,000 protesters attended the overnight rally.

PAN Monitor/mud