Countrywide shutter-down strike observed on Saturday on appeal of Sirajul Haq

LAHORE, Sep 02 (SABAH): A countrywide shutter-down strike was observed
on Saturday on the appeal of the Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Sirajul Haq against
the exorbitant electricity bills.

The Jamaat-e-Islami emir toured various markets in Lahore and expressed
his gratitude to the leaders of the trading community for their support of
Jamaat-e-Islami 's cause. Later, he addressed a protest rally against
inflation at The Mall, where he called upon the caretaker government to
reconsider its decision to increase power tariffs, warning them of the public
frustration if they failed to do so.

The strike unfolded peacefully, sending a clear message to the ruling
authorities that the Pakistani nation sought its rights without resorting to
violence, he said. He argued that the caretaker government lacked the
authority to make critical decisions, as such matters should fall within the
purview of elected public representatives.

He attributed the ongoing inflation to the policies of the previous PDM and
PPP administrations, noting that it also represented a continuation of the ill-
conceived economic policies of the PTI. He criticized the former ruling parties
for capitulating to the IMF and entering into unfavourable agreements with
Independent Power Producers (IPPs).

Emir Jamaat-e-Islami urged the government to combat power theft and
reduce line losses rather than burdening the poor. He questioned the
inclusion of various taxes in electricity bills and called for an end to the
provision of free electricity to government officials and the ruling elite.

He took aim at the caretaker prime minister for his statements on inflation,
terming it against the ground realities. He held the PDM and PPP's former
unity government responsible for the economic deterioration, asserting that
the former prime minister had put the last nail in the coffin of the nation's
economy before fleeing to London. The two dominant political families, he
said, were overall responsible for the current state of unrest among the
people.

The Jamaat-e-Islami leader stressed that the country needed political
stability, which could only be achieved if institutions maintained their
neutrality and remained apolitical. He advocated for free and fair elections as
the solution to the nation's problems, calling for polls to be held within 90
days.

Meanwhile, markets and shops remained in Lahore but also in Karachi,
Peshawar, Quetta, and other major and minor cities. JI leaders led protest
rallies against inflation in these cities, demonstrating widespread support for
the cause.