KARACHI: Central Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Monday rejected the proposed amendments to the constitution as an attempt by the ruling coalition to install a judicial system of its choice.

“The JI categorically rejects any such attempts,” Hafiz Naeemur Rehman told a news conference at Idara Noor-e-Haq here, saying that the matter may be taken up once the sitting Chief Justice completes his term.

He also urged the government and the opposition parties to avoid discussing the matter so as to ensure transparency.

He emphasised that the military, judiciary, parliament and bureaucracy need to function strictly within the framework of the constitution.

Hafiz Naeem informed that capacity charges agreement with five IPPs have been cancelled, which he claimed, has helped saved Rs411 billion, proposing the power tariff should now fall by Rs5 a unit to pass on relief to consumers.

He demanded that the capacity charges contracts of remaining 17 IPPs should also end at earliest. He hoped the IPPs run by army will also drop the capacity charges.

He demanded of the PPP government in Sindh to decentralize the local bodies system in Karachi in line with the constitution. He accused the PPP of “corruption” with “a lion share by 70 percent” in all uplift projects in the province.

The JI Chief criticised the Sindh government, Nepra and K-Electric for “malafide” practices in Karachi, hurting hard the power consumers. He also repeated his demand for fair taxation in the country to include feudal lords in the net.

Hafiz Naeem also demanded of the government to introduce an interest-free economic system in the country as per the orders of the apex court.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024