People should be prepared for holding countrywide shutter down strike against abnormal raise in electricity bills: Sirajul Haq

ISLAMABAD, Aug 29 (SABAH): Emir Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Sirajul Haq has said that people should be prepared for holding countrywide shutter down strike against the abnormal raise in electricity bills.

Sirajul Haq expressed these views during consultation with the trader community leaders and through his video message here on Tuesday. Naib Emir Jamaat-e-Islami Mian Muhammad Aslam and Emir Jamaat-e-Islami Islamabad Nasrullah Randhawa were also present on the occasion.

Emir Jamaat-e-Islami further Sirajul Haq said, “We would keep the strike peaceful. No attempt would be made regarding arson. We are grateful to trader organisations, religious scholars, lawyers, youths, students and people from other walks of life for supporting the call for strike.”

He maintained that caretaker government was not supposed to raise the electricity bills, saying the nation would be thankful to the interim government if it hands over power to its representatives by holding the general elections within 90 days.

He deplored that the government was hell-bent upon further raising the electricity prices which is basically a continuity of polices of the former regimes which increased the suffering for the masses while making agreements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). “The former governments of Pakistan including Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) handed over the whole nation to the slavery of IMF. This country belongs to 240 million Pakistanis while its decisions are taken are Washington,” he remarked.

“Underprivileged segments of the society are suffering and there is an environment of suffocation. All and sundry are perturbed due to inflation. Youths are escaping the country. People cannot afford high prices of petrol, electricity and gas. There are skyrocketing prices of edibles,” he noted.

Emir Jamaat-e-Islami further said that people should be prepared for holding countrywide shutter down strike against the abnormal raise in electricity bills. He stressed upon the youths to participate in the protest demonstration.

Sirajul Haq said that every citizen wanted to pay the bills but including taxes more than 40 percent is not an act of justice as payment of electricity bill should be received according to the use of electricity. He noted the previous governments did not pay any attention towards the improvement of transmission system. He added the motif behind holding strike is to force the government to take the raise in electricity bills back.