Islamabad: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Amir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Monday warned the government that he might call on people across the nation to stop paying their electricity bills if their demands are not fulfilled, The Express Tribune reported.
He warned that delay in addressing the demands of JI, including the elimination of contracts with independent power producers (IPPs), will cost the rulers dearly, potentially sparking a larger crisis. He said that protests would extend to Karachi, Peshawar, and Quetta within two days if immediate demands regarding inflation were not met.
Speaking at a women's rally at the sit-in at Liaquat Bagh Chowk in Rawalpindi, Rehman said that the government did not have options and was walking on thin ice, according to The Express Tribune report.
He said, "When our women are ready to march forward to D-Chowk, the rulers must wake up to the urgency of the matter," adding that the government was running out of road. JI chief said that the sit-ins will continue until their demands are not met, even hinting at the possibility of a march to Islamabad's D-Chowk.
Hafiz Naeemur Rehman urged the government to take action quickly, stressing that the longer the government dragged its feet, the more damage it would cause. He called for the elimination of taxes, levies on petroleum, and electricity taxes, stating that the government must bite the bullet.
He said, "This is not mere politics." JI Amir further stated, "While they [rulers] adhere to the teachings of Islam, they follow unjust laws. Sovereignty belongs only to Allah; anyone who denies this is a tyrant. Those who recognize Allah as the provider and owner fear no one."
Rehman demanded an overhaul of the oppressive system and spoke about the Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) decree that education was obligatory for all children.
"How can we neglect the education and rights of our daughters? In Pakistan, even educated people and scholars fail to give women their rights. We will enact laws to ensure that anyone denying women their rights will face imprisonment," he added.
He announced plans to hold protests outside Governor Houses in Lahore, Peshawar, and Karachi and vowed that the sit-in in Rawalpindi would continue until their demands are not met, according to The Express Tribune report.
JI Amir demanded a forensic audit of Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and the termination of past agreements, including the immediate cancellation of any renegotiated contracts.
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Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said, "We can no longer bear the costs of your extravagance." He stated, "The world has moved forward, yet you lack vision. The days of distributing laptops and sacks of flour for photo ops are over. We need IT infrastructure."
He called it state's responsibility to provide education in return for taxes. He asserted, "Today, over 26.2 million children across the country are out of school. This is unacceptable." Rehman said that the protest entering its fourth day showed people's determination and resilience.
JI chief criticised the burden of high electricity bills and the government's lack of response to alleviate this issue. He noted that a significant number of women would join the protest despite obstacles in Lahore, slamming the government on what he called being controlled by a single family, for causing hurdles and worsening the situation.
Criticising the unjust agreements with IPPs, he said that 70 to 80 per cent of IPPs are non-operational due to contractual issues, with the government holding shares in 52 per cent of them, The Express Tribune reported.
He called on all political parties to join their struggle, advising supporters to focus on government actions instead of internal party disputes. He lashed out at the government's submission to International Monetary Fund (IMF) demands while ignoring their own extravagant spending.
—ANI