ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan Chief Hafiz Naeemur Rahman has said that the party leadership will decide the future line of action against unprecedented hike in electricity bills and inflation on July 1 in the meeting of the central executive committee.

Addressing a seminar here on Wednesday, he said that the power bills are falling on the masses like bombs, the ruling elite is running the country as an inheritance, there is no other option but to come to the streets, if the problems of the people are not resolved.

He said that the government of Pakistan must notice the situation in Kenya.

He said that it was the responsibility of the JI to talk about the rights of the masses and it will continue to demand the rights of the people in a democratic and peaceful way, people do not want charity, but rights, if they are not listened to in a peaceful way, the people will hold the rulers by the neck. There will be a protest against increase in electricity rates outside the offices of distribution companies on Friday.

He said that over the years the masses have made countless sacrifices and now the elite class including politicians, bureaucrats, generals and others should give up privileges.

For 30 years, Independent Power Producers (IPPs) have been consuming the nation's capital, the contracts should be reviewed, he demanded, while terming the budget as rubbing salt on the wounds of the people.

The JI chief alleged that the present government is a product of Forms 47, adding that in past, the government was installed through RTS, saying the majority of the people sitting in the parliament came to power by boot polishing and robbing the rights of the people.

Further slamming the outcome of February 8, elections, he said that MQM hardly get 100,000 votes in Karachi city but the party bagged all the seats. MQM has one of the key federal ministries, the Ministry of Information Technology but now is demanding more ministries, while Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was also making all out efforts to get important positions in the federal as well as in Punjab governments.

Naeem said that the budget is full of cruel taxes, the staff of FBR cannot collect even 20 per cent tax by themselves. The FBR has now started collecting taxes through electricity, water and gas bills. A mountain of taxes has been imposed on the salaried class, if the FBR cannot collect taxes from big thieves, then they should be relieved.

He said that the Sharif family should tell how much tax they pay on their sugar mills, and warned that blocking the SIMs of non-tax filers will further worsen the situation.

The FBR should also lay hands on the landlords and elites, take action against the people named in Dubai leaks, Pandora leaks and Panama leaks.

He said that the agriculture sector has registered the highest growth rate but the sector is also at the mercy of the landlords. He further said that the influential people have turned education and health sectors a business, saying the child of a common person even cannot think of having admission in private sector educational institutions.

A specific section of the society is continuously exploiting the nation, he said. He said that the government must facilitate the common man by introducing a viable policy on the IT sector, adding that the IT sector has the potential to bring billions of dollars to Pakistan.

He said that the economy of Pakistan was facing disaster after disaster since decades, the common man is suffering but the banking sector is flourishing owing to high interest rates.

He demanded that the banks should be asked to declare their assets.

He suggested the government to tax declared assets of capitalists, especially the banks as it will bring significant revenues for the government.

Naeem said that Jamaat-e-Islami is focusing special attention on the youth, food security, solving the energy crisis, improvement of agriculture and small farmers, and land reforms. He said that there is a lot of potential in Pakistan and Pakistanis, those who spread despair are friends of the devil, the struggle will continue for the better future of Pakistan.

Among the participants were Naib Amir Jamaat-e-Islami Mian Muhammad Aslam, Deputy Secretary General Jamaat-e-Islami Syed Farast Shah, Central President of Pakistan Traders Organization Kashif Chaudhary, Economist Qamar Zaman, Dr Mahmood Khalid, Dr Anwar Ali Shah, energy expert Asim Riaz, Dr Shahidah and others.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024