JI announces Sept 3 nationwide strike against petroleum levy

Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Naeemur Rehman on Thursday announced a nationwide peaceful strike on Sept 3 against the petroleum levy, warning the government that the ongoing protests would be expanded to markets and roads and followed by a long march towards Islamabad if it failed to provide relief to the people.

Addressing the sit-in on The Mall in Lahore, which entered its 12th day, Rehman said the government had burdened the people with taxes and inflation while depriving them of their basic rights.

“The drama must end now, and the people must be given real relief,” he said, adding that a “historic” public meeting would be held in Faisalabad on Friday (Aug 28).

“The Jamaat-i-Islami’s struggle is not limited to a few sit-ins; it is a public movement for the rights of 250 million people,” he said.

He said sit-ins and rallies would be held in markets and that a long march towards Islamabad would also be organised if the government failed to accept their demands.

He urged party workers to intensify the struggle, saying the government was testing the patience of the people while demanding an end to the petroleum levy and what he called unjust IPP agreements, as well as lower electricity and petrol prices for traders.

Rehman claimed that the Jamaat-e-Islami’s “historic struggle” had resulted in relief for consumers in electricity prices and said the government must also provide relief on petrol prices.

Read More: JI expands petrol levy protests across Sindh

He said protests were now being held simultaneously in several cities rather than only three locations.

Speaking about the energy crisis, Rehman claimed that Pakistan had three times more electricity than it needed but people were still being forced to buy expensive power.

“Thousands of billions of rupees are being paid to IPPs from public money, and electricity consumers are bearing the burden,” he said.

Rehman said young people were Pakistan’s biggest asset and that the country had immense IT talent, but they were not being provided with adequate IT education and opportunities.

“If the government was really doing something for the people, data centres would have been established in the country by now,” he said.

He also criticised the government over the situation of women in Punjab, saying women and girls were not safe and many crimes against women went unreported.

Accusing the government of depriving people of basic education and rights, he said this was creating a form of mental slavery and referred to the Benazir Income Support Programme, alleging that corruption existed in such schemes.

He said the people had rejected the rulers and demanded education, employment, affordable electricity, cheaper petrol and opportunities for a dignified life instead of charity.

“The nation does not need charity. It needs education, employment, cheap electricity, cheap petrol and opportunities for a dignified life,” he said.

“The situation has reached a point where people have started feeling happy even when they receive alms. This is the biggest proof of the rulers’ failure,” he said while warning that the movement would intensify further in the coming days.

He accused the ruling PML-N, PPP and MQM of engaging in political “noora kushti” while dividing people along ethnic lines and through different slogans.

He alleged that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) had jointly removed the PTI government and described the incumbent rulers as products of Form 47.

Also Read: JI ramps up pressure as protests continue

Criticising the Punjab government, Rehman said it claimed that the province was prospering while basic facilities were being taken away from people.

He alleged that 11,000 government schools had been sold under the Punjab government and that basic health units had also been sold and renamed as Maryam Nawaz clinics.

“Countries do not progress through showcase projects and distribution of laptops,” he said.

PIMS tragedy

Rehman described the deaths of 14 newborn babies at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) as a result of government incompetence and negligence.

He said the children had become victims of government failure and alleged that their deaths were caused by corruption and negligence.

“Why were safety measures not taken at PIMS? Were doctors and paramedics trained to deal with emergencies or disasters?” he asked.

He said there was no effective system for training people to deal with disasters in the country.

Rehman also questioned the formation of a separate PIMS committee after the prime minister had already constituted an inquiry committee, saying it was an attempt to suppress the matter and demanded a complete investigation into the PIMS incident and said the matter should not be closed with the suspension of one official.

He called for the resignation of ministers and advisers, accusing the rulers of becoming “national criminals” and saying that the “drama” must end.

Referring to reports of HIV/AIDS infections among newborn children in Karachi, he said the alleged use of used syringes and corruption surrounding the matter was highly concerning.

He said the situation in the health sector reflected failures in government oversight and the administrative system.