JI workers to hit Murree Road as protest against IPPs enters third week
Pakistan
Hafiz Naeem says the movement will be expanded to whole country if demands are ignored
RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) - Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman reiterated on Thursday that the protest and sit-in would be expanded to whole country if people's due rights were not granted.
Addressing the participants in the sit-in in Rawalpindi, Naeem demanded that the government take their demands seriously and reduce electricity bills and close down independent power producers (IPPs).
He shared the ordeal faced by the salaried class, saying the salaried class was already paying taxes and inflated electricity bills.
He invited everyone to become a part of the peaceful political movement. He reminded the government that were only demanding their due rights. He reiterated that the burden of heavy taxes on the salaried class wasn’t acceptable.
He urged the government to take austerity measures and abolish corruption that would reduce the crisis of inflation and overbilling.
He also called on the government to bring feudal class in the tax net and argued why some quarters escaped taxes. Taxes should be imposed on feudal class instead of salaried class, the JI emir insisted.
Electricity crisis was compelling industries to wind up. He highlighted the consequences of exorbitant electricity prices making the cost of businesses unaffordable.
Rifts were emerging among government, institutions and public, Naeem stressed.
He also revealed that the movement "Haq do Awaam ko" would expand nationwide.
The JI has also announced that it will hold a march on Murree Road today (Thursday) for their demands.
The JI sit-in entered the 14th day amid stalemate.
TALKS WITH GOVERNMENT
On Wednesday, talks were held between Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and the JI leadership.
“The round of negotiations has been adjourned until Thursday, " he said , adding “even today there has been a lot of progress in the negotiations”.
The minister informed that many issues had been agreed during the negotiations, and more issues were to be agreed upon. “A task force has been set up to look into the issues of IPPs”, he added.
The minister further said the JI workers arrested in Sialkot had been released. He repeated that a subsidy of Rs50 billion had been given to electricity consumers using up to 200 units for three months of June, July and August.
Liaqat Baloch, JI’s vice chief, said the JI presented its detailed position to the government. “No disagreement was expressed with our demands,” he added.
