Lasting peace in Balochistan depends on ensuring the basic rights of its people & addressing their legitimate demands: Hafiz Naeemur Rehman

QUETTA, August 20 (SABAH): Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has stated that lasting peace in Balochistan depends on ensuring the basic rights of its people and addressing their legitimate demands.

Speaking at a “Meet the Press” event at the Quetta Press Club on Tuesday, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman announced the launch of JI’s “Haq Do Balochistan Ko” (Give Balochistan its Rights) campaign, scheduled to begin on September 1. This campaign, he added, is part of JI’s broader national movement “Haq do Pakistan ko”, advocating for the rights of the public.

On the same day, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said, the JI will also kick off its national membership drive, with a particular focus on recruiting the youth. Additionally, he highlighted the JI’s call for a nationwide strike on August 28, demanding that the ruling elite relinquish their extravagant lifestyles funded by state resources and provide relief to the public from burdensome electricity tariffs and taxes. This strike is intended to pressure the government to honor the agreement it made with JI after the 14-day sit-in in Rawalpindi.

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman further demanded the swift completion of the Pakistan-Iran Gas Pipeline Project, accusing the government of delaying the initiative under pressure from Washington. He emphasized that the people of Balochistan have the first right to benefit from their region’s resources and called for the installation of solar panels, completion of the Kacchi Canal, and the promotion of fisheries. He also urged the government to prioritize the livelihood of local fishermen over the interests of the trawler mafia. While expressing JI’s support for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he stressed that local communities must be the primary beneficiaries of the multi-billion-dollar project.

The JI Emir expressed grave concern over the plight of the families of missing persons, lamenting that they are not even allowed to hold peaceful protests. This attitude, he warned, is unacceptable.

He questioned how the government could expect citizens to abide by the law when it fails to recognize the suffering of these families. He called for those accused of breaking the law to be presented before the courts and urged the government to address the issue. He emphasized that those in positions of authority should be the first to uphold the law before expecting compliance from the general public.

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman cautioned that while the government may use force to suppress peaceful protests, it cannot suppress the people’s desire for justice. He warned that if the government continues to neglect public demands and forcibly quells protests, resentment against the state will only grow. He vowed that JI will continue to champion the rights of the people and pledged that JI’s national movement for peaceful resistance will serve as a catalyst for change, challenging the status quo and securing the rights of ordinary citizens, including the people of Balochistan.