KARACHI: Calling the current caretaker administration “a continuation of the legacy of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government”, the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) on Sunday annou­nc­ed to stage citywide protests on Tues­day (tomorrow) against the exorbitant rise in prices of petroleum products and growing inflation.

Addressing a press conference at the party’s headquarters Idara Noor-i-Haq, JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman while sharing details of the plan of the protest said “it would be a different kind of activity” and appe­aled the Karachiitese to join the “struggle of the JI” for the accou­n­tability of the past and present rulers.

“I appeal the Karachiites for an all-out protest in the city on Tuesday by jamming all major arteries in the megalopolis,” he said. “Let it be very clear to our rulers — reduce the petroleum products prices or face the music.”

Hafiz Naeem announces protests on 15 locations in Karachi

He said that youngsters in Karachi would go to 15 designated points on Tuesday evening and block the vehicular traffic by turning off their vehicles. “This caretaker government is actually a continuation of the legacy of the previous coalition government.”

He said the caretaker government had increased the POL prices for the third time in just a single month. Raising the prices of petroleum products and electricity at a time when the US dollar had been losing its value was quite illogical.

“The rich and elite rulers of this poor country should have realised that the people are on the brink of their tolerance,” he said.

“The country is being run by the mafias who will be the first to escape if the country defaults. I convey this to my countrymen that silence of the victims supports the oppressors. The masses will have to come forward for their due rights.”

After the press conference, a large number of JI workers, headed by Hafiz Naeem, staged a sit-in on Sharea Faisal.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2023