JI Chief Demands Immediate Relief for Flood-Hit Farmers, Warns of Food Crisis
LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman has urged the government to immediately announce financial aid and relief for farmers affected by the recent floods, warning of a looming food crisis in the country.
Addressing a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Mansoora, Lahore, he said that floods have submerged over 4 million acres of land and 3,000 villages, devastating rice and cotton crops while also threatening the upcoming wheat harvest.
He criticized the Punjab government for initially setting the wheat support price at Rs3,900 per maund and later withdrawing it, leaving farmers in further distress. He demanded subsidies on seeds and higher crop prices to support growers.
Hafiz Naeem lamented that thousands of families lost their homes and savings in the floods, yet the government has failed to present a clear strategy for compensation and rehabilitation. He blamed the approval of illegal housing societies and construction on water passages for worsening environmental and urban crises.
He highlighted that districts like Gujrat remain waterlogged and urgently need boats and tractors for relief work. While billions are spent on advertisements, he said, drainage and disaster management systems in major cities remain inadequate.
The JI chief further pointed out Pakistan’s vulnerability to climate change, citing cloudbursts and landslides in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that claimed over 1,000 lives, and accused rulers of corruption instead of investing in forest preservation and disaster prevention.
He alleged that India is engaging in “water terrorism” by disrupting river flows into Pakistan and called for a firm response. He also blamed global powers and the “Zionist lobby” for crippling Pakistan’s economy, which has worsened the climate crisis.
Hafiz Naeem warned that if the government fails to compensate farmers and flood victims, Jamaat-e-Islami will become their voice and launch a struggle at every level, including the possibility of a long march.
