We have informed govt of our demands, ball is in govt’s court: Liaqat Baloch

RAWALPINDI, July 28 (SABAH): Liaqat Baloch, Naib Emir of Jamaat-e-Islami and head of the Jamaat-e-Islami’s negotiation team for talks with the government, said that the government team has been informed about the ten-point demands, the ball is in the government’s court.

He said it is expected that the government will take the work seriously, otherwise the sit-in will force the government to seriously consider our demands.

Liaqat Baloch expressed these views along with other members of the negotiation team, Secretary General Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer-ul-Azeem, District Ameer Engineer Nasrullah Randhawa and Energy Expert Farast Shah while talking to the media after the negotiations with the government team.

Federal Minister Attaullah Tarar, Federal Minister Amir Muqam, Muslim League (N) Leader Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Prime Minister’s Media Coordinator Badr Shehbaz represented the government. Negotiations were held in the Commissioner’s Office Rawalpindi, Liaqat Baloch said that the government team has been informed about the ten-point demands related to inflation, electricity, gas, petrol prices, taxes and IPPs agreements. Liaqat Baloch said that the agenda of the sit-in is public and national, adding people want relief. “We demand that 50% discount in the electricity bill should be given to the consumers who consume up to 500 units per month,” he added.

He said, “The Petroleum Development Levy (PDL) on the prices of petrol and diesel should be abolished and the recent increase in the prices of petroleum products should be reversed. There should be 20% reduction in the prices of essential commodities. There should be 35% cut on non-developmental spending, the luxuries of the elite are unaffordable for the masses. Capacity payments and dollar payments with IPPs should be abolished. Taxes on agriculture and industry which is unjustified, unbearable burden should be reduced by 50%.”

He said industry, trade and investment should be ensured so that the economic wheel runs and the youth get employment. He said Jamaat-e-Islami demands that the oppressive burden of taxes on the poor salaried class should be withdrawn and taxes should be collected from the privileged class. The government team was also informed about the arrests of the workers and the detention of those responsible, he said and added “I strongly condemn the government crackdown, arrests, raids and detentions against Jamaat-e-Islami, although the government team has apologized for this crackdown and assured the full release of the workers.”

Liaqat Baloch said that the sit-in will continue if the people do not get relief. The government has included the energy minister Owais Leghari in the committee. It is expected that the government will take the work seriously, he said and added the ball is in the government’s court. Our protest and sit-in is going on, he added.