Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman warned on Saturday of expanding its Rawalpindi sit-in to other areas across the country if the government did not meet its demands regarding high power bills and increased taxes.
Addressing the sit-in at Liaquat Bagh, Rehman stated, “If the government is thinking that the sit-in would continue on Murree Road only, it is its wishful thinking. If they do not reduce electricity bills in a genuine manner, do not address the matter of IPPs (independent power producers), and do not revoke the [tax] slab on the salaried class, then this sit-in would not remain limited to here; it would spread further to the entire country.”
The day before, the government had convinced the party to move its protest against inflation and exorbitant electricity bills from D-Chowk in the Red Zone to Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh. This decision came after talks with the JI leadership. Around 40 JI workers and supporters were arrested while trying to make their way into the capital for the demonstration.
The sit-in has caused Murree Road from Mareer Chowk to Committee Chowk to be closed to traffic, and the Metro Bus service has been suspended, prolonging residents’ hardships due to the extraordinary security measures employed ahead of the JI and PTI protests.
In his speech, Rehman reiterated his demands to release all arrested workers and officially clarify details regarding a committee to hold talks with the party. “I want to tell the government to not remain in any illusion. We have arrived here and will formulate a plan of action on a daily basis. We will not leave from here, God-willing,” he said.
He detailed his party’s demands, saying, “If they would not bring the talks on the right path; if they would not form a proper committee, reduce electricity bills in a genuine manner, revoke this [petroleum] levy and end tax slabs on the salaried class introduced in this budget … these are genuine demands […].”
Rehman also demanded a forensic audit of power plants committing fraud and strict punishment for government officials involved in wrongful business. He pointed out that even industrialists are struggling to pay their electricity bills and attempting to get them deferred. “I met traders and industrialists here in the past week and they lamented ‘we are at our limits and cannot run our factories anymore’,” he added.
He suggested that export duties on various sectors be revoked and taxes be imposed on elites instead of adding them to the masses’ electricity bills. He also called on the government to end exemptions availed by its officials and reduce their own privileges.
“They say they’re bringing traders in the tax net under the banner of ‘Tajir Dost Scheme’. We and the traders are ready to be brought under the net […] If there is any rightful tax, the traders will accept it,” Rehman said. “If the government is serious, it will have to take action and grant relief [to the public].”
