Fida Hussnain Lahore
Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman, the Emir of Jamaat-e-Islami, declared the launch of countrywide protests against rising electricity costs, persistent load shedding, and what he terms an anti-people budget. This marks the beginning of the first phase of a national resistance movement.
At a press conference held at Mansoorah on Saturday, Rehman urged citizens to join the struggle for their rights, stressing the need to eliminate the corrupt ruling elite for the sake of future generations. He criticized Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for his false promises to end load shedding, pointing out that high electricity bills and continuous power outages have made life intolerable for the public. Rehman dismissed the finance minister’s statements about privatizing national enterprises, arguing that the minister lacks the authority to make such claims. He accused the finance minister of protecting those who have ruined national institutions and demanded accountability before any further discussions or decisions about selling these entities.
He also condemned the imposition of a 35 percent tax on salaried individuals and the proposed fixed tax in electricity bills. Rehman stated that the ruling elite have deprived the public of basic needs, leading to widespread disillusionment, particularly among the educated class, and causing a significant brain drain, which he said has increased by 119 percent.
Rehman criticized the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for failing to expand the tax net and argued that the government is further burdening the already overburdened population at the IMF’s behest.
Rehman assured that Jamaat-e-Islami’s protest on Sunday would be peaceful, rejecting the enforcement of Section 144, which he described as a colonial law aimed at suppressing the populace.
