Election Commission should step down following the SC’s verdict on reserved seats: Hafiz Naeemur Rehman

FAISALABAD, July 23 (SABAH): Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Engineer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has stated that the Election Commission should step down following the Supreme Court’s verdict on reserved seats.

Addressing the Faisalabad District Bar Association on Tuesday, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that the commission has utterly failed to conduct transparent elections, losing its remaining credibility after the top court’s decision. He also criticized the government, asserting that it has no legitimacy as it was formed based on fraudulent Form 47.

According to Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, the country is in a close ally, with both the government and its supporters unable to resolve the current crisis. He emphasized that the solution lies in upholding the constitution, with every institution working within its constitutional limits. He called for a judicial commission to compile election results based on Form 45.

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that the JI sit-in in Islamabad on July 26 would advocate for the people’s rights. He demanded a reduction in electricity tariffs, the abolition of the slab system in electricity billing, and the removal of unfair taxes on the salaried class and basic food items.

He asserted that the JI believes in peaceful resistance and has the political, democratic, and constitutional right to hold a sit-in. He vowed that the protest would not end until the people’s demands are met and sought support from the legal community and the general public.
“We must reclaim our rights from the ruling elite. They enjoy luxuries and either move abroad or secure top posts after retirement. They have no right to dictate the public’s fate,” he said.

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that the JI has announced a short-term agenda for the sit-in and plans to launch a national resistance movement afterward. The long-term agenda includes rule of law, peace and justice, basic health and education facilities for the public, electoral reforms, elections based on proportional representation, and land reforms. He criticized the feudal class for not paying taxes while the government imposes heavy taxes on the common people and salaried class.

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman noted that the majority of Independent Power Producers (IPPs) are owned by the ruling class, who profit from capacity charges paid by the people. He declared that the JI would compel the government to review the unjust agreements with the IPPs.

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that the secret agreements made with the IMF should be brought before the nation. He said cruel tariffs, slab system and IPPs agreements should be terminated, adding “we are coming to Islamabad to take rights on July 26.”

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that they will take the path of democratic constitutional struggle for the rights of the people, adding democracy is only in Jamaat-e-Islami and the method of election of lawyers. He said they support demand of lawyers and citizens for setting up High Court bench in Faisalabad.

Hafiz Naeemur Rahman said that in this budget, 8.2 trillion rupees will pay the price of the electricity that will not be used, adding various taxes will be imposed on the people for the price of electricity. He said the question is why these agreements have not been brought before the nation. The cruel agreements made with the IPPs should be terminated immediately through negotiations.

He said taxes should be withdrawn from the salaried and electricity tariff should be reduced, adding direct relief should be given to people not the solar system. He said that Jamaat-e-Islami has a clear stand that the government should be formed on the basis of Form 45. In a democratic state, the right to rule belongs only to the people, he added.

He said that in the current situation, the Bar Councils should not be divided on the basis of political parties, adding the people should be given their right. He said here education and health have been taken away from the people, adding not only in education or health they have failed in all sectors. Why are you robbing people’s pockets in the name of expensive electricity and capacity charges? successive taxes have broken the back of the nation, he added.

President District Bar Mian Anwarul Haq, Secretary Rana Murtaza Hakeem, Member Punjab Bar Farooq Dogar, Emir Jamaat-e-Islami Punjab Javed Kasuri, District Emir Mehboob-ul-Zaman Butt also spoke on this occasion.