Amir Jamaat-e-Islami: Parliament only debates rubber stamps, says Hafiz Naeem-ul-Rahman

Rawalpindi: Hafiz Naeem-ul-Rahman, the leader of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, stated that unless parliamentarians do more than just use rubber stamps, citizens are forced to take to the streets. Addressing participants of a protest sit-in at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi, he emphasized that while no one wishes to leave their homes and families to sit on the roads, they are there for the sake of the country’s future, and their demands will persist until they are met.
He criticized the ruling elite, alleging that they are neglecting their duties. “IPPs contracts were concealed, investigations revealed, and the ruling class emerged unscathed,” he remarked, highlighting discrepancies in the defense budget allocation for excessive capacities rather than electricity. He called for accountability among those who have failed to fulfill their duties.
“Every contract should be subject to state authority, and those who fail should be held accountable,” he added, naming influential figures like Razzaq Dawood and Nadeem Babar who he claims persist through every government, including Muslim League-N and People’s Party. Rahman also questioned the government’s priorities, pointing out the disparity between minimum wages and soaring utility bills.
“Why should the poor choose suicide?” he questioned, urging political resistance as an alternative and calling on Pakistan’s youth, lawyers, scholars, and civil society to join the movement. Rahman presented basic demands to the government’s negotiating committee, including reductions in electricity prices, abolition of the slab system, and immediate withdrawal of taxes on salaried individuals.
“In comparison to India, Pakistan is burdened with four times the taxes,” he lamented, noting the plight of educated classes, businessmen, and indebted farmers. He announced a general assembly today, expecting women to join the protest on Monday, and hinted at nationwide sit-ins if demands are not met.
Concluding, Rahman emphasized that protests and negotiations will proceed in parallel, asserting that mere rhetoric will not suffice. “Jamaat-e-Islami will not abandon your cause,” he assured the public, underlining the necessity to address public issues urgently.