Govt should free the poor from punishment of expensive electricity & taxes: Hafiz Naeemur Rehman

RAWALPINDI, August 7 (SABAH): Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Engineer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has said that the government should show responsibility, free the poor from the punishment of expensive electricity and taxes. He said relief should be given to the people, industries are closing down. In view of this, the tax slabs have to be abolished. He said the salaried class further burdened in the form of taxes as salary has not increased as much as taxes are now being paid.

While holding a press conference on the 13th day of the sit-in in front of Liaqat Bagh, Rawalpindi, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that why should the people pay the bill for the electricity they did not use, all our demands are legitimate, the government is in a state of panic and worry. He said tax the landlords too, the common farmer should pay the tax and the landlords should not pay, it will not work. He said when property is taxed, then what is the problem of taxing landlords, adding when it comes to termination of contracts of IPPs and closure of fraudulent plants, which is perfectly legal and factual, then why the government is making excuses.

JI Naib Emirs Liaqat Baloch, Dr. Osama Razi, Mian Muhammad Aslam, Dr. Attaur Rehman, Deputy Secretaries Sheikh Usman Farooq, Azhar Iqbal Hassan, Information Secretary Qaisar Sharif, Emir Punjab Central Javed Kasuri, Emir Punjab North Dr. Tariq Saleem and business leader Muhammad Kashif Chaudhry and other leadership was present at the press conference.

Emir Jamaat-e-Islami said that the system of usury has trapped the common man, adding the government is increasing the interest while not wanting to implement the reservation system. Government speaks lies and fraud. Since the sit-in started, the government approached us for talks so we welcomed it then government disappeared after doing two rounds, he noted.

He said on Tuesday, we were contacted again for negotiations, despite the rulers being non-serious, we kept the way open for the people to negotiate and in the third phase also a long negotiation meeting was held. He said when the government admits that our demands are absolutely right, then go ahead and approve them.

He further said if the government is fond of taking credit, what is the problem in solving problems, adding we don’t have any problem with credit, the government should solve the problems and the credit will go to it automatically. But if they are obstinate and don’t solve the problems, then this sit-in will be at every intersection, not just one, he said.

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said we have already announced sit-ins at all provincial headquarters. He said at the next stage, sit-ins would be staged on the highways while they would also give call of shutter down strike, adding people are with us and want solutions to problems. He said a common man is not able to pay electricity bills. He said we are staging sit-in for the rights of the people so the government should adopt positive approach towards the people issues.