Hafiz Naeemur Rehman issues deadline to Punjab govt, warning it to reconsider its decision regarding non-procurement of wheat

LAHORE, May 02 (SABAH): Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Engineer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman Khan has issued a four-day deadline to the Punjab government, warning it to reconsider its decision regarding the non-procurement of wheat from farmers or brace for a protest movement.

Speaking at a press conference at Mansoorah on Thursday, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman asserted that if the provincial government persists with its anti-farmer stance, JI will stage a sit-in outside the Punjab Chief Minister’s office.

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman also called for the establishment of a judicial commission to investigate the wheat import scandal. He highlighted that the former caretaker government’s decision to import wheat worth one billion dollars in October 2023, during a severe shortage of dollars and wheat stock presence, was deeply concerning. Haifz Naeemur Rehman emphasized that those implicated in the decision must appear before the inquiry commission and resign from their positions pending investigation. He revealed that importers profited approximately one thousand rupees per 40 kg, amounting to a looting of nearly Rs85 billion from the public.

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman further announced that JI-backed farmer protest camps would commence from Friday across divisional and district headquarters of Punjab, continuing until Tuesday, when JI plans to initiate the sit-in if the government remains adamant. He urged the JI Kissan chapter to liaise with farmer organizations, denouncing government attempts to sow division among farmers.
Hafiz Naeemur Rehman implored the media to shed light on the plight of small farmers, who constitute 96 percent of agriculture landowners, and advocated for land reforms to redistribute land held by the four percent feudal lords and waderas among small farmers. He pledged that JI would spearhead a movement for land reforms in Pakistan in the future. Emir JI Pakistan underscored that JI’s pro-farmer movement stemmed from extensive consultations with farmer leaders, lawyers, and agriculture professionals, affirming the party’s commitment to championing growers’ rights. He criticized the government, saying that it lacked the mandate to reverse wheat procurement policies and thwart the aspirations of hardworking wheat farmers.
Hafiz Naeemur Rehman highlighted the unprecedented nature of the government’s decision not to procure wheat, contrasting it with the prime minister’s pledge to do so, and criticized the Punjab Chief Minister, his niece, for refusing to comply. He vowed that JI would compel the government to rescind its decision.