LAHORE: A substantial crowd from across the country gathered at Iqbal Park as Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) kicked off its Ijtima-i-Aam with over 150 delegates from 45 countries here on Friday.

JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, while delivering the keynote address said, “Those who are advocating and lobbying for the controversial 27th Amendment, need to know that there is no immunity for anyone in the system run by Allah Almighty”.

Civil and military bureaucracy both were a part of the problem in Pakistan, he said and urged both to let politics take its natural course.

“We have assembled in this historic park to resolve to bring justice to our country. The three-day event will kick off a new phase in the political history of Pakistan,” he said, adding that the Pakistan Resolution was passed in this park and now the nation had resolved to ensure a just system of governance based on Islamic principles in the country.

On the occasion, he said the nation would not compromise on Kashmir. He said, “We supported the government during the skirmishes with India, whereas some quarters were settling scores with the government and the establishment by shifting their support to India against the Pakistani government. However, we want to make it clear that we won’t compromise on the cause of Kashmir.”

Calls on civil, military bureaucracy to let politics take its natural course

He said the Kashmiri freedom fighters had the right to launch an armed struggle against Indian occupation and to get their homeland free under international laws.

“Supporting the US resolution on Gaza will lead Islamabad to nowhere,” he said. Quaid-e-Azam had already stated that Israel was an illegitimate child of the West. In the 1940s, two resolutions were passed at the same event in Iqbal Park; one was called the Pakistan Resolution and the other was for the cause of Palestine, he recalled.

“Keep in mind we won’t let you make Pakistan a puppet for the US again,” he warned. “Don’t even think about joining the Abraham Accords, otherwise, you will become a horrible example and thrown in the dustbin of history,” he said.

Talking about local issues, he said that land reforms were crucial as only three per cent of the landlords were facilitated and the rest were exploited.

Highlighting women’s issues, he said that neither domestic violence, nor workplace mental torture against women would be tolerated. Women had been deprived of their due inheritance share in properties, he said, while stressing the need to rectify trends in the society. Earlier, Liaquat Baloch — the chief organiser of the event — issued directions to the participants.

Later in the day, Dr Osama Razi delivered a lecture on politics, Advocate Muhammad Akram Sheikh on judiciary, seasoned economist Dr Ishrat Hussain on economy, Dr Iqbal Khan on health, Altaf Hussain Langrial on education, Saleem Mansoor Khalid on ‘Syed Modudi, ideology, movement and revolution’, and JI Pakistan General Secretary Ameerul Azeem shed light on the history of the JI.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Friday sermon was delivered by Dr Ali Mohiuddin Karadagi — a world-famous Islamic scholar.

Published in Dawn, November 22nd, 2025