Hafiz Naeemur Rehman postpones the Islamabad sit-in until July 26 out of respect for Aashura

LAHORE, July 11 (SABAH): Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Engineer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has postponed the Islamabad sit-in until July 26 out of respect for Aashura.

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman announced this decision during a press conference at Mansoorah on Thursday. The postponement of the sit-in, originally scheduled for July 12, came after consultations with JI leadership and following appeals from religious scholars. Hafiz Naeemur Rehman to start countrywide visits for public mobilization to ensure their full participation in the sit-in.

The JI would organize awareness camps in all major cities of Friday and sit-ins in major and small cities on July 14.

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said the people from Karachi, Balochistan and other far-flung areas to start marching start marching towards Islamabad on July 24. He reiterated the demands for reduction in electricity tariffs, abolishment of the slab system for power tariffs and agreements with Independent Power Producers (IPPs).

“The JI sit-in in Islamabad on July 26 is for the rights of the people, against inflation, and unjust taxes imposed in the recent budget” Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said.

He criticized the ruling authorities for depriving the masses of basic health and employment facilities, and for imposing additional taxes on the poor while increasing petroleum and gas tariffs in recent budget. The ruling elite, he said, are unwilling to compromise their luxuries, which come at the state’s expense.

They are not ready to surrender their free petrol and electricity. He said the IPPs were paid billions of rupees in term of capacity charges. He said the feudal do not pay taxes and the government hit the salaried class with massive taxation time and again. He said the government planned to increase tariff for commercial and agriculture consumers. He said a peaceful resistance for their rights have become essential for public. The people, he said, must launch struggle from the JI platform to secure the future of coming generation and get rid of the ruling elite.

Secretary General JI Pakistan Ameerul Azim, Naib Emir JI Liaqat Baloch, JI Information Secretary Qaiser Sharif and other leaders were also present on the occasion.