Rawalpindi: Jamaat-e-Islami has initiated a sit-in protest in Liaquat Bagh against inflation and costly electricity. Speaking during the protest, Jamaat-e-Islami’s chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman addressed the gathering and declared that the sit-in will continue for at least a month, or longer if necessary.
Addressing the audience in Liaquat Bagh, Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan’s leader Hafiz Naeem-ul-Rehman stated, “Raids and arrests are being carried out at the homes of our workers. When we reached Islamabad, the city was under lockdown with containers blocking the roads. Neither our workers nor we are tired; we are fully committed.” He urged the workers to remain present at all times and be ready to move forward.
He further expressed concerns over the destruction of salaries, the previous devastation of the poor, and the compulsion of capitalists to close their mills. “The public is troubled, but the rulers turn a deaf ear. People are being killed over inflated electricity bills. This is the creation of Form 47; no one listens to them,” he exclaimed.
He emphasized that electricity and gas should be free for one class. “Now every child understands what IPPs are. 80% of IPPs belong to the people of Pakistan. Government-owned companies are also included in IPPs. There is also a company whose unit costs 750 rupees. Why should we pay this money? We will not pay this money now; we will have to rein in these IPPs again,” he said.
Hafiz Naeem also said, “If the government wants to talk, they should form a parliamentary committee and talk to our committee. Our only demand is that relief be given to the poor people. If the government talks about providing relief, then the matter will move forward.”
He said that the sit-in will continue for a month or more if necessary.
During the speech by Jamaat-e-Islami’s leader, workers were asked, “Where should we go?” The workers responded, “DC Chowk, DC Chowk.” To which Hafiz Naeem said, “Okay, then we’ll go to DC Chowk. Every task will be done in its own time. This is the path now. Workers will remain on Mary Road for now.”
The roads coming from the Red Zone and Islamabad to the federal capital were closed by placing containers earlier.
Before this, after a call for a sit-in by Jamaat-e-Islami, roads coming from the Red Zone and Rawalpindi to the federal capital were blocked by placing containers. The Metro bus service in Rawalpindi was also suspended, causing severe difficulties for commuters.
Additionally, police personnel from various locations arrested Jamaat-e-Islami workers, after which Jamaat-e-Islami changed its strategy and announced sit-ins at three locations.
Jamaat-e-Islami staged protests outside Mary Road Rawalpindi, Zero Point Islamabad, Chungi Number 26, and Liaquat Bagh. In a telephone conversation with workers during Ait, Hafiz Naeem announced sit-ins from Karachi to Chitral and said that the protest would continue until the people received relief.
Jamaat-e-Islami was granted conditional permission to continue the sit-in for 2 to 3 days on Mary Road in Rawalpindi after successful negotiations between the local leadership of Jamaat-e-Islami and the district administration.
Sources informed that negotiations included the DC, CPO, and RPO Rawalpindi among senior officials.
Later, Jamaat-e-Islami closed sit-ins at various locations and moved the central sit-in to Liaquat Bagh.
Government Ready for Negotiations with Jamaat-e-Islami
On the other hand, Federal Minister for Information Ata Tarar expressed satisfaction with the formation of a negotiation team to talk with Jamaat-e-Islami. He said, “There is no permission for a march towards Islamabad after the protest at Liaquat Bagh. The government is ready to negotiate with Hafiz Naeem-ul-Rehman.”
He said that the government is currently focusing on economic revival agenda, and they are ready to form a negotiation team to talk with Jamaat-e-Islami. They are ready to provide every facility in Liaquat Bagh, and the tradition of DC Chowk should end.
