Pakistan
JI to stage sit-in outside governor house against inflated power bills: Siraj
The Jamaat-e-Islami says we are prepared to hold sit-ins in front of governor houses and, in solidarity with traders and transport workers.
Lahore: The Jamaat-e-Islami party on Sunday announced plans to stage protest sit-ins outside governor houses across all four provinces, expressing their concerns over exorbitant electricity bills.
JI chief, Siraj ul Haq, made this announcement on Sunday, emphasizing the party's determination to take action if the government does not address the issue of inflated electricity charges.
Speaking to the media, JI Ameer stated, "We are prepared to hold sit-ins in front of governor houses and, in solidarity with traders and transport workers, may also initiate a wheel-jam strike if the government does not take steps to reduce electricity bills."
The party had previously called for a nationwide shutdown in protest against rising inflation and the high electricity bills, questioning the government's practice of burdening the general public with the cost of expensive electricity purchases.
"Why does the government pass on its expensive electricity procurement costs to the ordinary citizens?" queried Siraj ul Haq. He went on to criticize the situation, saying, "Both you and the public suffer due to this practice, and we will no longer tolerate it. We reject the agreements made with the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and will gather information about these contracts to challenge them in the Supreme Court."
Highlighting the disparity in electricity prices between Pakistan and its neighboring countries, Siraj ul Haq expressed concern for the hardships faced by the people. He also alleged that the government intends to raise electricity prices to 90 rupees per unit, a move that would place a heavy burden on citizens whose incomes are insufficient to cover their rising electricity bills.
Haq thanked traders and the public for their support during the successful strike, emphasizing that it sent a clear message that the people were unwilling to accept agreements made by previous governments.