LAHORE: Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has announced countrywide protests against costly electricity, prolonged load shedding and anti-people budget, marking the official start of the first phase of the national resistance movement.

Addressing a press conference at Mansoorah on Saturday, Rehman urged the public to join the struggle for their rights, emphasizing that it is essential to rid the nation of the corrupt ruling elite for the sake of future generations. He criticized Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s claims about ending load shedding, calling them lies. He pointed out that inflated electricity bills and persistent load shedding have made life unbearable for the masses.

Rehman rejected the finance minister’s statement on the privatization of national enterprises, arguing that the minister has no right to make such declarations. He accused the finance minister of representing those who have destroyed national institutions and demanded that those responsible be brought to justice before making any further statements or decisions about selling these institutions. He also condemned the imposition of a 35 percent tax on salaried individuals and the proposal of an additional fixed tax in electricity bills.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024