LAHORE: The sit-in of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan outside the Chief Minister’s House in Lahore continued for the second consecutive day today, Monday, with Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman vowing to continue the protest until the government bows down to their demands.
Addressing the participants, Hafiz Naeem said people with low income are being economically murdered in the name of petroleum levy and the government throws petrol bombs at the people every day.
Govt hasn’t upgraded refinery, burden shifted to motorcyclists: Hafiz Naeem
The JI chief said the government justifies price hikes by citing an increase in global market prices and claims that buying refined oil is expensive. He said the government has not upgraded its own refineries and the entire burden is shifted to the public.
“People who ride motorcycles are paying the levy. When the price of petrol increases, the price of everything increases,” he said.
He said the cost of electricity that is generated is low while the cost of electricity that is not generated is high. “If the electricity bill is 201 units, the bill will jump to 10 thousand,” he said, adding that various taxes have been included in the electricity bills and inflation is directly linked to petroleum prices.
Criticizing Independent Power Producers (IPPs), Hafiz Naeem said IPPs have been responsible for electricity in the country since 1994 and wrong work has also been done in the capacity of power plants. Consumers bear the burden of capacity payments and also pay interest on loans, he said, asking “where is the relief?”
He said when a proper judicial system comes to Pakistan and these “fake setups” end, there will be a forensic audit and trial of those responsible. “When audit and trial are done, everyone’s assets will come to light. The power generation capacity was reduced to two digits to defraud the people,” he said.
Sit-in for 250 million people, not for any caste: JI Ameer
Hafiz Naeem said this sit-in is not against anyone and not for anyone’s caste, but for 250 million people of Pakistan.
In his address on the first day of the sit-in the other day, he said the rulers cannot give up their privileges and are squeezing the blood of the people with low income.
“The landowners of the PML-N should tell us how much tax they paid on their estates. This feudal system will not work, they are sucking the blood of the poverty-ridden farmers,” he said.
“Big landowners do not pay taxes, big bureaucrats eat taxes, this system cannot work anymore. This system that is imposed on us has nothing to do with the people. Today we have started a sit-in and this sit-in will continue,” he added.
Dharna in heart of Punjab continues with official permission
It is interesting to note that contrary to the recent experience of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, which has alleged denial of permission for public gatherings in Lahore and other parts of Punjab, the Jamaat-e-Islami sit-in is being staged in the heart of the provincial capital with official permission and administrative facilitation.
The protest venue outside the CM House has been cordoned off with police security, traffic diversions have been put in place, and civic arrangements including lighting and water supply have been provided by the administration.
The demonstration has remained peaceful, with no reports of baton charge or mass detentions.
