Govt offers olive branch to JI
Pakistan
The government is ready to sit with JI emir: Attaullah Tarar
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The government on Friday offered an olive branch to Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) who is staging sit-ins at several points in Islamabad and Rawalpindi against the inflated power bills.
Addressing a press conference along with federal minister Amir Muqam, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar urged the JI to sit with the government to steer the country out of crises.
“The JI was only allowed to organise its rally or sit-in at Liaquat Bagh Rawalpindi but insistence on moving towards Islamabad is beyond understanding,” Tarar said.
The minister said the government is ready to sit with JI Emir Hafiz Hafiz Naeemur Rehman and his team to listen to their concerns.
Tarar said the government has constituted a three-member committee comprising him, Amir Muqam and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry to negotiate with the Jamaat-e-Islami leadership.
Earlier, following the Jamaat-e-Islami's call for protests against the inflated power bills, containers were placed to block routes leading from the Red Zone and Rawalpindi to the capital. The metro bus service in Rawalpindi has also been suspended, causing significant inconvenience to passengers.
Key intersections in the Red Zone, including D Chowk, Nadra Chowk, and Sarina Chowk, have been sealed with containers.
Also Read: JI announces sit-ins at three locations amid crackdown, road closures
The JI is now staging sit-ins at Murree Road in Rawalpindi, Zero Point in Islamabad, and Chungi No 26, with Hafiz Naeemur Rehman leading the sit-in at Zero Point in Islamabad.
Azm-e-Istehkam in KP
Talking about Azm-e-Istehkam campaign in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Amir Muqam said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Director General ISPR, and Apex committee have very clearly stated that it is not a military operation.
He said it is a continuity of the anti-terrorism drive as envisioned by the nation in the National Action Plan. He said police will lead the operations against terrorists and then there will be FC to support the police. However, army will act in border regions if the need arises.
Amir Muqam said maintaining law and order is the sole responsibility of the provincial government and PTI has been ruling Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the third consecutive term.
Speaking on the occasion, Attaullah Tarar said it would have been better had the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa told the people about actions against the timber mafia operating in the province instead of misguiding the people.
He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had signed an agreement with a fake organisation to train the youth in the field of artificial intelligence. He said this organisation has no legal standing to award students a valid and acceptable certificate.
