PESHAWAR: Jamaat-i-Islami emir Sirajul Haq on Wednesday announced a three-day peaceful sit-in outside Governor’s House in Lahore from Thursday (today) against inflation, hike in petroleum prices and inflated electricity bills.

He made the announcement during his address on the third day of a similar sit-in outside Governor’s House here, where party activists from northern areas showed up in large numbers.

The JI emir appealed to Punjab residents to participate in the Lahore sit-in, according to a statement issued by the party’s media cell.

In a reference to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, he said the country’s three major political parties worked for themselves and “mafia” and not people’s welfare.

“Mafia has always invested in our rulers before recovering their investments. As part of governments, it has always benefited during crises,” he said.

Mr Siraj said the residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had always supported Islam and Pakistan but spent life in a delicate security situation and remained underprivileged.

He added that the people of the province wanted peace on their soil and the utilisation of its resources for their welfare.

The JI emir demanded an immediate withdrawal of hike in petroleum and power prices and issuance of bills to people in line with the actual electricity price.

He said the government should reconsider agreements with the Independent Power Producers, control electricity line losses and crack down on power theft instead of sending inflated bills to people.

Mr Siraj said the rulers had always been “obedient to the international establishment, International Monetary Fund and World Bank.”

On Monday, the JI emir led his party’s sit-in outside the Governor’s House on the Sher Shah Suri Road here complaining about record inflation and the recent increase in power and oil prices.

He told protesters that the caretaker government didn’t have the mandate to hike petroleum and electricity rates.

“The government should immediately reduce the prices of flour, sugar, petroleum and other essential commodities,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2023