KARACHI: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has announced countrywide protests on Jan 31 against inflated electricity bills and high tariff.

Speaking at a press conference here on Sunday, he said that the government appeared to be uninterested in passing out the benefits of the cancelled and reviewed contracts of certain independent power producers (IPP) to the people.

“The JI is going to renew its agitation campaign against the government with more force and resolute,” he said and announced that the future course of action would be announced in the Jan 31 protests.

He said that as a result of a JI campaign, the government renegotiated the agreements with certain IPPs and terminated some.

“However, the nation wants to know where the impact is? The government will have to reduce the prices of electricity and amend its policies to favour the poor,” he said, while demanding that the government reduce power tariff, end excessive taxation, reduce the petroleum levy, end perks for the privileged class, and provide relief for the salaried class.

Hafiz Naeem strongly condemned all those political parties who voted for 140 per cent rise in salaries of parliamentarians and highlighted that the pay raise was approved at a time when 40pc population was living below the line of poverty.

“The political opponents in the assembly — be it the PPP, PML-N or the PTI — unanimously voted for the extraordinary rise in their salaries but they did nothing for the salaried class that has paid Rs243 billion in taxes in just six months and the target in this regard has further been increased,” he said.

Opposing the amended Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) law, he said no one wanted to support fake news, but political dissent should not be suppressed in a fascist manner. He said the JI supports the media fraternity in respect to the law.

Responding to a question, he said the JI had been demanding a judicial commission on Feb 8 elections, but didn’t want re-election, as that would support the “mandate thieves”. Instead, he said, “We demand judicial decisions on the basis of Form-45s that is a constitutional and legal document.”

Talking about Palestine, he urged Islamabad not to take pressure on the issue of recognising Israel, instead initiate lobbying on diplomatic front for Palestine and Kashmir.

He said Pakistan should side with Hamas and urged Islama­bad to adopt a proactive approach and rebuild Gaza along with Qatar.

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2025