Countdown continues as JI increases pressure for across board relief in electricity bills

Karachi: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan Ameer Engr Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said on Saturday that the government would have 36 more days to implement the agreement in letter and spirit in order to provide across the board relief to the nation.

The JI supremo expressed these views while addressing a press conference held at Idara Noor-e-Haq, the JI Karachi headquarters. He was flanked by JI Karachi Ameer Monem Zafar and other leaders, including Saifuddin Advocate, Taufiquddin Siddiqui, Zahid Askari, and Imran Shahid.

Speaking on the occasion, Engr Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that the JI will hold a strike in collaboration with traders on August 28 against hiked electricity bills and inflation.

He said that the Punjab government announced the relief under a pressure created by the JI with the help of masses and continuous activism. He said that the people in Punjab will be provided a relief of Rs28 per unit in the two months period. He added that the issue needs to be addressed on permanent basis.

He made it clear that the relief should be provided to people across the country. If Punjab can announce the relief, so can other provinces, he said.

Particularly talking about the Sindh province, he said that the province's budget clocked in at three trillion, with inclusion of Rs1885 billion or almost 62 percent by the federal government. In this backdrop, the Pakistan People Party government in Sindh can easily spare a few billions to provide relief to the masses, he said.

The JI leader also reminded the PPP regime in Sindh about the promise, regarding 100 units free electricity, its leadership made during electioneering. 

Engr Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that all the so-called political parties have been partners in crime. He added that no political party highlighted the issue of capacity charges because they were hands in gloves.

On the occasion, he highlighted another scam in the name of capacity payment for Mittiari-Lahore power transmission line. He added that Rs1450 billion were paid despite the fact that the project used only 37 percent of it's capacity.

Lambasting Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, he said that not even a single segment of the society was happy with the policies of the government. The premier, he said, himself was confessing in one of his speeches that his policies were ruining the businesses in Pakistan. He quoted the premier as saying that the expensive electricity had pushed the Pakistani producers out of the competitive market. Why don't the prime minister take some drastic steps to address the crises, instead of talking rubbish, he said.

The JI leader also expressed solidarity with media workers and highlighted the issue of their salaries.

He also took up the issue of gas load shedding, it's excessive tariff, illogical taxation on the bills and the flawed governmental policies in this connection.

 In response to a question, he demanded of the government to ensure uninterrupted internet services as he said that the reported experiments in connection with internet firewall have already ruined the market for Information Technology based freelancers. The three billion IT exports industry was on the verge of collapse, he said.

Our demands are reasonable and we are asking for our due rights and not alms, he said while warning the government of a long march. He said that the party will mobilize masses in the days to come for their rights.

He reiterated that the JI demands electricity on production cost, austerity drive within the ruling elite, and solid measures on war footing basis to revive the economy.