Jamat-e-Islami announces countrywide protest against inflation and govt agreements with IPPs

Jamat-e-Islami-announces-countrywide-protest-against-inflation-and-govt-agreements-with-IPPs

Jamat-e-Islami (JI) has announced holding a countrywide protest against inflation and the government’s agreements with independent power producers (IPPs).

According to the media reports, the announcement was made by Jamat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman while speaking at the sit-in at Rawalpindi’s Murree Road. While extending the party’s ongoing protest, Jamat-e-Islami Emir announced holding countrywide demonstrations against inflation and the government’s agreements with IPPs which have resulted in exorbitant electricity bills. He said that the party would hold a sit-in in front of Karachi’s governor’s house in the first phase which will be followed by subsequent protests in Lahore and Multan as well.

The declaration follows the JI chief’s threat on Saturday to take the sit-in over the nation’s exorbitant power costs and excessive taxes to other regions if the government did not accede to his party’s demands. Today marks the fifth day of the party’s sit-in, which began on Monday when the government team failed to show up for the second round.

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At the Rawalpindi commissioner’s office on Sunday, a three-person delegation led by Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Amir Muqam, and Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar met with the JI negotiation committee, which is chaired by Liaquat Baloch, to discuss potential next steps. The political-religious party has proposed ten demands for the termination of its protest sit-in against inflation, which included a significant increase in power rates. These demands include the revision of agreements with IPPs.

Hafiz Naeem criticized the government for the soaring rate of inflation and stated that current policies are forcing businesses to close while addressing party workers in Rawalpindi. The JI chairman demanded that the government lower power costs and audit the IPPs, threatening to cancel the party’s protest until their demands were satisfied. The government was given two days to comply with the requests.

JI Karachi Chief Munem Zafar has stated that they seek an end to deals with IPPs and K-Electric, Karachi’s main energy supplier, echoing the party emir’s sentiments.