Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman has warned the government that his party could announce a countrywide strike if the recent increase in petrol and diesel prices was not withdrawn immediately.
As the JI sit-ins against petroleum levy on The Mall Lahore and in front of Governor Houses of Karachi and Peshawar continued, the government on Monday night increased the petroleum products prices. It created embarrassment for the JI, providing an opportunity to analysts and social media users to ridicule the religio-political party. Many believe the JI has always played a role of Pakistan’s powerful military establishment’s “B-Team”. The JI, however, strongly denied to accusations. Analysts say the JI holds protest to divert the public attention from bigger issues such as authoritarian rule in Pakistan. The JI, on the other side, claimed it is raising voice for the rights of the people. Over 5000 to 6000 people are participating in the sit-ins in three major cities of Pakistan.
Addressing a press conference on the third day of JI’s sit-in, Rehman said the public was already paying heavy taxes on every litre of fuel. People, he added, could no longer bear the rising cost of living. He said the government must cut fuel prices, abolish the petroleum levy and bring petrol down to Rs225 per litre. He also announced that women and lawyers would join the ongoing protests.
“JI is not fighting for itself. It is fighting for the rights of the people,” Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman said. He added that protesters remained determined to continue their protest movement.
He said the latest increase in petrol and diesel prices had further angered the public. The government, he added, was collecting money from consumers through fuel levies as well as heavy taxes on electricity and gas bills.
Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Criticizes FBR, IPPs Agreement:
Rehman criticised the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). He alleged widespread corruption in the FBR. He said the institution’s failure was contributing to the country’s economic problems.
Turning to independent power producers (IPPs), he said successive governments had signed costly agreements in the name of ending load-shedding. He claimed JI’s earlier protests had forced the government to review some of these arrangements. The JI leader said the government had shut down five of 27 IPPs and itself claimed that the move would save the national exchequer Rs3.36 trillion. He demanded similar action on agreements with the remaining IPPs.
Rehman also highlighted rising food and farm costs. He said flour had reached Rs160 per kilogram and bread Rs25, while farmers were struggling to afford DAP and urea fertilisers. The JI chief criticised governments in Punjab and Sindh over education, health and agriculture. He claimed that thousands of schools in Punjab had been outsourced and that the education system in Sindh was also deteriorating.
The Jamaat-e-Islami chief also attacked the country’s political system. He accused the PML-N, PPP and MQM of benefiting from the existing political setup. Rehman called for empowered local governments and said constitutional provisions must be respected. He said Punjab had not held local government elections since 2015, while Balochistan had yet to conduct local elections. Rehman also criticised the official protocol given to political leaders, claiming Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent Karachi visit involved a convoy of 67 vehicles. He also criticised the protocol accompanying President Asif Ali Zardari.
