RAWALPINDI: The federal government and the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) teams have agreed to hold today (Monday) another session of dialogue to sort-out issues regarding the electricity bills, high inflation, IPPs’ capacity payments, and other matters.
However, the JI would continue its ongoing anti-inflation sit-in in Rawalpindi after holding the first round of talks with the government on Sunday.
A three-member delegation including Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Amir Muqam and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry met the JI negotiation committee led by JI Secretary General Liaquat Baloch at the Rawalpindi commissioner office amid mounting pressure on the government as the Rawalpindi sit-in entered its third day.
After meeting with the three-member team of government, JI leader Liaquat Baloch told media that the government will form a technical committee to resolve the power tariff and tax hikes issues and complete their “internal workings” by tomorrow (Monday) while the party’s ongoing sit-in at Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh will continue.
JI Ameer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Saturday warned of expanding the party’s Rawalpindi sit-in to other areas across the country if the government failed to meet its demands regarding skyrocketing electricity bills and rising taxes.
Baloch said a positive first round of talks was carried out with the government where his party had clarified their agenda. “This was also stated clearly that the protest was not a party agenda but it was the issues of the people,” he said. He said that the government told them that their demands were noted and they would form a technical committee to look into the protest’s demands.
“If there is need to meet again, we will meet,” he said. Once the government’s internal working meeting was concluded tomorrow, the party will meet the technical committee.
Baloch told the media that their delegation also provided a list of 35 JI workers, who were arrested during the ongoing protest, to the government. He said that most of the JI workers have been released. While speaking to the media after the meeting, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that that the government agrees with the demands presented by the JI delegation and emphasised the government’s commitment to working tirelessly for the public’s relief.
He said that the discussions with the delegation had been conducted in a very positive and cordial environment. The JI presented a list of 10 demands, most of which pertain to electricity-related issues, he said.
The minister confirmed the government’s alignment with the delegation’s concerns and expressed a strong desire to address public relief needs. He also mentioned that the government has ordered the immediate release of 35 JI members arrested during the protests. Efforts are under way to reduce government expenditures, he said.
A technical committee has been formed, including representatives from the Ministry of Water and Power, the Energy Secretary, the FBR, and the Ministry of Finance.
He explained that financial flexibility would be achieved through privatisation, the digitalisation of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and economic reforms, which would then be used to provide relief to the public.
Minister for Kashmir Affairs Engineer Amir Muqam said that the technical committee will engage in discussions with JI tomorrow. He underscored the government’s commitment to keeping the country running effectively.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
Comments
Comments are closed.