Jamaat-e-Islami Balochistan Announces August 22 Protest Day Against Lawlessness, Border Closures and Alleged Extortion
QUETTA: Jamaat-e-Islami Balochistan has announced that August 22 will be observed as a province-wide protest day against lawlessness, corruption, the closure of highways and borders, and alleged extortion on petroleum products.
Jamaat-e-Islami Balochistan Emir and MPA Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman Baloch said protests, rallies and public gatherings would be held outside district headquarters and press clubs across the province on Saturday.
Speaking at events in Gwadar and during meetings with various delegations, Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman said the people of Balochistan were facing serious problems, including insecurity, unsafe highways, alleged extortion involving petroleum products and the closure of border crossings.
He alleged that the government and relevant institutions had remained silent instead of addressing the difficulties faced by the people.
The JI leader said ensuring the safety of national highways for citizens, traders, transporters and passengers was a basic responsibility of the government and security institutions. He said robberies and insecurity on highways had caused severe mental distress and economic difficulties for the public, while border closures had affected the livelihoods of thousands of families.
Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman said the August 22 protest day would provide an opportunity to raise a peaceful and strong voice for the legitimate rights of the people and resolution of their problems.
He said Jamaat-e-Islami would continue its struggle against injustice, lawlessness, alleged extortion and what he described as anti-people policies.
He appealed to party workers, the business community, transporters, youth and people from all walks of life to participate actively in the protests. He demanded peace, security, dignified employment, free trade and basic rights for the people of Balochistan, saying sustainable peace and development in the province could not be achieved without resolving public grievances.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the Jamaat-e-Islami Balochistan political committee and provincial office-bearers was held under the chairmanship of Zahid Akhtar Baloch.
The meeting discussed the overall situation in the province, law and order, insecurity, the closure of borders and highways, as well as ongoing sit-ins and future protest activities.
It was decided that August 22 would be observed as a province-wide protest day. The meeting also resolved that Balochistan would participate fully in ongoing sit-ins and future strikes, sit-ins and protest activities announced by the Jamaat-e-Islami central leadership.
