PESHAWAR:
Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Sunday warned of a nationwide mobilization after Eid, denouncing the country’s current judicial and political system for “not delivering justice.”
He said the system required a fundamental overhaul and not a simple change of governments.
He announced that JI would launch a nationwide membership drive from April 25 to May 15 to attract millions of people to the party, urging workers to actively participate in the campaign.
Addressing a meeting of party workers at the party center in Peshawar, the JI chief said changing political parties would not solve the crisis, arguing that “the real issue is to change the entire system”.
He harshly criticized the mainstream parties, saying those seeking power and seats could join the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) or the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), while those committed to systemic change should align with his party.
He highlighted the need to strengthen local governments, rejecting the concentration of authority in the bureaucracy. He said granting funds to administrative officials such as deputy commissioners and deputy commissioners was unacceptable and instead called for an end to monopolies in the hands of a few individuals.
Regarding the education crisis, he said ten million children in Punjab and more than five million in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are still out of school.
Hafiz Naeem alleged that the United States “could never be a friend to Muslims,” although mediation efforts should continue.
Referring to Pakistan’s past alignment with Washington, he said the country gained nothing by supporting the United States in 2001. While acknowledging Pakistan’s role in promoting peace now, he urged a dignified foreign policy instead of closer ties with US President Donald Trump, stating that “they have been humiliated.”
He added that ceasefire efforts were moving in the right direction and noted that Iran had opened the Strait of Hormuz while the United States had not lifted its blockade.
“Efforts toward reconciliation and a ceasefire are appropriate, but submission to the United States is unacceptable. American friendship has brought us nothing but terrorism,” he said.
He added that the United States had repeatedly undermined Pakistan, including during the 1971 crisis in Pakistan and the period after 2001, which he said led to terrorism and economic damage.
He said the government collected Rs 180 billion during six weeks of war and raised billions more through oil tax, claiming that “the government misses no opportunity to loot public pockets.”
He added that Rs 1,234 billion had been collected under the tax in the current fiscal year and denounced the PML-N and the PPP for not taking a clear stance against the actions of the US and Trump.
