Jamaat-e-Islami organizes protest demonstrations before offices of power distribution companies against high cost of electricity & prolonged load-shedding

LAHORE, June 28 (SABAH): Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) organized protest demonstrations in front of the offices of power distribution companies against the high cost of electricity and prolonged load shedding.

These protests, held at the call of JI Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman, marked the 2nd countrywide agitation following commencement of the first phase of a peaceful national resistance movement. The JI took out rallies against anti-people budget and inflation on Sunday (June 23)

Large number of people participated in the rallies across major cities including Lahore, Rawalpindi-Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Faisalabad, and Multan. The demonstrators voiced their discontent with the IPPs agreements, inflated bills and load shedding.

The JI leader addressed the rallies, demanding the government review agreements with the Independent Power Producers (IPPs), terming the agreements main reason behind costly electricity. They said the government failed to improvement transmission system and stop rampant corruption in the power sector. The said the companies were in a constant practice of overbilling to cover the power theft which occurred under the umbrella of corrupt officials. They said the urban and rural areas are under the grip of worst load shedding and the claims of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding end to load shedding proved pack of lies. 

According to details, JI Secretary General Amirul Azim led the protest in front of Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) head office. A large number of people and JI local leadership participated.

Speaking on occasion, Amirul Azim said the government imposed massive taxes on the direction of the IMF on the poor people of Pakistan. He said the poor nation was paying billions of rupees to IPPs because of the agreements signed with them by the corrupt rulers. He said the majority of the owners of the IPPs belonged to the ruling elite.

He said the JI has already rejected the budget and would not sit silent until the government provided relief to the masses. He demanded the government abolish the agreements with the IPPs and end all the taxes imposed in utility bills.