Govt to form technical committee amid JI’s Rawalpinid sit-in over electricity, tax hikes

Islamabad: Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) leader Liaquat Baloch announced on Sunday that the government would establish a technical committee to address issues related to power and tax hikes.

The committee is expected to finalize its internal work by tomorrow, while the party's sit-in at Rawalpindi's Liaquat Bagh will persist.

On Saturday, JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman warned of expanding the sit-in to other regions if the government failed to address the concerns over high electricity bills and rising taxes.

As the protest entered its second day, Murree Road remained closed from Marrir Chowk to Committee Chowk due to containers blocking the route, disrupting local business activities.

In response to the pressure from JI, a government delegation led by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar engaged in talks with JI protesters on Saturday night. Both parties agreed to hold a formal discussion on Sunday to address JI's demands.

Tarar confirmed the formation of the technical committee and, during a media briefing after the meeting, announced the release of a list of 35 prisoners provided by JI. He stated that orders for their immediate release had been issued and assured that no political workers would be arrested.

Following the negotiations, Baloch told the media in Rawalpindi that the first round of talks with the government was positive and that the protest was focused on public issues rather than a personal party agenda. He mentioned that the government acknowledged their demands and agreed to form a technical committee to address them. Baloch also indicated that further meetings with the government might be necessary after the committee's internal discussions.