MALAKAND: Jamaat-i-Islami Khyber Pakhtunkhwa North chief Inayatullah Khan on Sunday called for a nationwide public movement against inflation, corruption and what he described as the government’s failed economic policies, saying the time had come for people to resist measures that had pushed citizens into severe hardship.
Addressing a public gathering here, Mr Khan said the country was facing multiple economic, political and administrative crises, while ordinary citizens were struggling under the burden of rising prices, unemployment and what he termed widespread injustice.
He urged party workers to take the JI’s message to every household and create awareness about the need for systemic reforms. “The nation is passing through one of the most difficult periods in its history. People are unable to cope with soaring inflation, shrinking employment opportunities and declining public services,” he said.
Criticising the federal budget, Mr Khan claimed that it had been formulated on an interest-based economic framework, which, he said, was inconsistent with Islamic principles.
He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa budget had also failed to meet public expectations and lacked adequate allocations for development projects.
The JI leader questioned the government’s development priorities, particularly the allocation of funds for major infrastructure schemes. Referring to the Swat and Dir Motorway project, he said the amount earmarked in the budget was insufficient to ensure the project’s timely completion.
“Allocating limited resources to such a major project amounts to denying the people of the region the infrastructure they desperately need,” he said, adding that at the current pace the project could take many years to complete.
Mr Khan also expressed concerns over the proposed Medical Complex project, saying that it appeared to exist only at the level of announcements and had yet to show meaningful progress on the ground.
He claimed that around five million children in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including approximately 57,000 in Malakand district, were out of school.
He said the lack of educational opportunities was depriving the younger generation of a secure future and increasing feelings of frustration among youth. “Without investing in schools and educational facilities, sustainable development cannot be achieved,” he said.
Mr Khan said growing insecurity remained a major issue for local communities.
He strongly opposed the withdrawal of the tax-free status previously enjoyed by the Malakand Division and warned that imposing additional taxes on the region would have serious economic consequences.
He maintained that residents of Malakand should not be subjected to new taxes until they were provided with development opportunities and basic facilities comparable to those available in more developed parts of the country.
Mr Khan also referred to the growing trend of overseas migration, claiming that many Pakistanis had left the country in search of employment this year.
He alleged that many citizens seeking jobs abroad were facing unnecessary difficulties and bureaucratic hurdles at various institutions and called on the relevant authorities to address the matter.
Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2026