Hafiz Naeemur Rehman vows the sit-in would continue and it was better for the govt to address the demands as soon as possible

RAWALPINDI, August 02 (SABAH ): Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Engineer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman delivered a virtual address from Doha, Qatar, to the participants of the sit-in protest in Rawalpindi on Friday.

This marked the eighth day of the JI’s ongoing demonstration against the significant increase in power tariffs, the imposition of unjust taxes on salaried individuals, and the unfair Independent Power Producers (IPPs) agreements.

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman was in Doha to attend the funeral prayer for the Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. He met and expressed condolence with sons and grandsons of Haniyeh Shaheed and Hamas leadership. He also conveyed the sentiments of the Pakistani nation to the Palestinian leadership, paying tribute to the struggle of the people of Palestine against the Israeli brutalities.

JI acting Emir Liaqat Baloch also addressed the gathering at Muree Road, as thousands are attending the sit-in protest.

The JI Emir will return to Pakistan tonight to preside over the Saturday’s proceedings of the sit-in.

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman vowed the sit-in would continue and it was better for the government to address the demands as soon as possible. The JI, he said, would not engage in behind-closed-doors talks with the government committee and any dialogue would take place openly, in front of the media and the public, if the sit-in’s demands are not met in next couple of days, he announced.
He also warned the government that JI is prepared to block national highways and call for a shutter-down strike and have all options including to issue a call for public boycott of electricity bills. “JI would not compromise or surrender on public demands,” he reiterated.
Reacting over prime minister statement, he said the JI has never thought to politicise the genuine public issue of inflated power bills. Rather, he said, it was the government who turned miserable the life of millions of people who are unable to pay the bills which include capacity charges and massive taxes.

He reiterated the demands for a decrease in electricity tariffs, an end to the extravagance of the ruling elite with state resources, review of IPP agreements and imposition of taxes on vast agriculture land owners, insisting that the government must accept all these demands.
Or otherwise, he said, this movement for public relief would potentially change into the nationwide movement to send the government home. This ally government, he added, has also grabbed power through worst rigging in the elections, having no legitimacy. So, he said, it was better for them, not to underestimate the sit-in protest and provide relief to the public.