Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has announced protest rally and sit-in against the proposed amendments in blasphemy law, US drones attacks, levy of Reformed General Sale Tax (RGST) and growing price hike on January 23rd. This was announced during a press conference here at Peshawar Press Club by Naib Amir, Jamaat-e-Islami, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mushtaq Ahmad Khan. He was flanked by JI Amir for FATA, Haroon Rashid.
He claimed that a large number of workers would participated in the sit-in that will be addressed by Amir Jamaat-e-Islami Munawar Hassan, Central Naib Amir Sirajul-Haq, and former Amir Qazi Hussain Ahmad. He termed attempts to make amendments in the Blasphemy law a matter of great concern for the Muslim Ummah. He alleged that the government had planned to amend blasphemy to appease US and other Western allies. "We will not tolerate any amendments in blasphemy law, he maintained. About the growing drone attacks inside borders, he said the incursion is complete violation of the Geneva Convention and asked the signatories states to take strict stand on the issue.
Referring the Wikileaks revelation, he said the reports had been indicated that US special commando assist in military action in tribal areas of Pakistan. He strongly condemned escalating aggressions on the tribal belt and demanded for its immediate stoppage. The JI leader alleged political discrimination in the distribution of watan cards, saying a large number of deserving people have been deprived. "Massive level of misappropriation had been made in distribution of Watan cards", he maintained.
About the Reformed General Sale Tax (RGST), he said the government had failed to provide any sort of relief to the masses. The growing price hike, increase in power tariff and petroleum products was ample prove of its failure, he added. The imposition of RGST will multiply miseries of the masses, he observed.
Mushtaq Ahmad Khan said that the rulers had increased petroleum prices 10 times and spent millions on their extravagant and luxuries at the expenses of the people. He called for withdrawal of the proposed amendments in blasphemy law, and imposition of RGST, stoppage of excessive drone attacks. He also demanded of the government to review US policy, and devise foreign policy in national interest.