Warns that any attempt to suppress peaceful protest could turn the movement into an anti-government campaign
JI chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman addresses the inaugural session of the party’s three-day congregation at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore. Photo: X/archive
LAHORE:
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Tuesday announced a nationwide blockade of major roads on August 7 as part of the party’s campaign against inflation, oil tax and rising fuel prices, warning that any attempt by the government to stop peaceful protest could push the movement towards an anti-government campaign.
Amid volatility in global oil rates in the wake of renewed hostilities in the Middle East, the government decided to switch to a daily fuel price review mechanism on Friday. The daily price is based on a seven-day weekly average of international market prices to align with international standards. The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) will update petroleum product prices on its website daily to ensure transparency and allow the immediate impact of international price fluctuations to be conveyed to consumers.
Addressing a press conference at the JI headquarters in Lahore’s Mansoorah, Rehman said the party would organize street corner meetings, sit-ins and a nationwide mobilization campaign by August 7. He said people from all walks of life, including traders, industrialists, lawyers, students, religious scholars and youth, would participate in the protest.
He said main roads in the four provinces and district headquarters would be blocked on August 7, adding that the protest would remain peaceful and ambulances would be allowed to pass.
Criticizing the rise in oil prices, the JI chief said the government was using the war as a pretext to increase fuel prices, even though the oil tax and other taxes were not related to the conflict. He stated that if petroleum tax and other taxes were abolished, the price of petrol should not exceed Rs 250 per liter.
He alleged that the government had authorized OGRA to determine oil prices on a daily basis, even though the oil tax had no legal link with the regulator. According to him, the government collects around Rs 1.8 trillion annually through oil tax, which puts a burden on motorcyclists, workers and the middle class.
Read: Government increases price of high-speed diesel by Rs 5.71, petrol drops by 35 paise per liter on July 21
Describing the tax as “economic terrorism”, Rehman said the government was collecting taxes even from people outside the formal tax net through indirect taxes.
He said JI was not opposed to the defense budget, but was opposed to the privileges enjoyed by judges, senior military officers, bureaucrats, legislators and other senior public officials. He alleged that while ordinary citizens struggled with inflation, the ruling elite continued to benefit from state-funded benefits.
The JI chief also criticized the Punjab government’s health and education policies, alleging that basic health units and public schools were being sold and renamed to mislead the public. He further claimed that poverty had increased in Punjab under the current administration.
Calling for transparency on agreements with Independent Power Producers (IPPs), Rehman questioned why load shedding continued despite the installed power generation capacity in the country. He alleged that consumers were paying for electricity that was not produced.
Expressing concern over the security situation in Balochistan, he said the government could not evade its responsibility by simply blaming foreign elements. If there were external actors involved, he added, it was the state’s responsibility to stop them. He said the Balochistan issue required dialogue and consultations with all stakeholders, and announced that JI would convene a grand national conference to discuss a long-term solution.
He also called for resolving political issues in Azad Jammu and Kashmir through dialogue and constitutional means.
Responding to questions, Rehman said JI would continue its campaign for public rights despite the criticism. He warned that if the government tried to suppress peaceful protest, the movement could turn into an anti-government campaign.
Read more: Daily oil reviews will hurt the industry
He also commented on various political developments, saying that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) should take action on Defense Minister Khawaja Asif’s recent statement while expressing his views on previous political alliances, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Maulana Fazlur Rehman and PTI founder Imran Khan.
