LAHORE: Chief Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman has reiterated that the 26th constitutional amendment is a measure aimed at undermining judicial independence and announced that the JI will challenge it in court.

Presiding over a central leadership meeting at Mansoorah on Friday, he pledged that the JI would resist the privatization of government schools in Punjab, as well as national enterprises, including Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

Rehman condemned the recent Mastung terrorist attack, praying for the deceased and wishing a swift recovery for the injured. He expressed regret over the rise in terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, adding that rather than ensuring citizens’ safety and establishing peace, the government is focusing on attacking the constitution and serving personal interests. The ruling coalition, he asserted, has left citizens at the mercy of terrorists.

The JI Emir also criticized the government for raising petroleum prices despite a global decrease. He said the rulers are exploiting the poor while claiming economic progress achieved at the expense of heavier costs on essential commodities. He demanded that the government should provide relief on petrol and electricity prices, abolish the petroleum levy, and cancel unjust agreements with Independent Power Producers (IPPs). He vowed that the JI would continue its protest until these agreements were terminated.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024