Hafiz Naeemur Rehman announces the launch of second phase of ‘Haq Do Awam Ko’ movement, beginning on September 1

ISLAMABAD, August 29 (SABAH): Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Engineer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has announced the launch of the second phase of the “Haq Do Awam Ko” movement, beginning on September 1, along with a nationwide membership drive.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday along with Naib Emir JI Mian Muhammad Aslam, Emir JI Islamabad Engineer Nasrullah Randhawa and other leaders, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman congratulated the nation and traders on the success of Wednesday’s historic shutter-down strike, stating the JI has initiated consultations with traders for further strikes and with transporters for a potential wheel-jam strike if the government continues to resist providing relief to the masses.

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman stressed that the government must immediately reduce electricity tariffs and eliminate unfair taxes on both the business community and the salaried class. He denounced the ruling elite for their extravagance at the cost of state resources, demanding that taxes be imposed on feudal lords and unjust agreements with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) be revoked. He argued for a unified power tariff based on the actual cost of production, excluding the exorbitant capacity charges currently benefiting the IPPs.

He pointed out that IPPs have not only received billions in capacity payments from the national exchequer but have also been granted massive tax exemptions. In contrast, the common people are being weighed down by excessive taxation. “The people are no longer willing to endure this injustice,” he said, explaining that JI’s movement aims to unite the masses and initiate a struggle against these oppressive practices. He added that the government has 24 days left to fulfill the agreement it made with JI after the 14-day sit-in. Should the government fail to comply, JI will continue to employ peaceful means of resistance to compel action in favor of the public, he said.

The JI leader held the PML-N and the PPP equally responsible for the economic and security crises plaguing the country, asserting that expecting relief and betterment from political parties that function as family dynasties is a futile endeavor. He said that these parties are incompetent, focusing solely on plundering the nation’s resources. The IPPs owned by the Sharif family, he added, have drained billions from the national treasury, and if they were to forgo these payments, the entire nation would experience relief in electricity costs.

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman criticized the government for postponing local government elections in Islamabad, asserting that Pakistan’s so-called democratic governments have consistently failed to strengthen local governance structures.