ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) leader Hafiz Naeemur Rehman declared on Saturday that the party would initiate a countrywide wheel-jam strike if the government fails to meet the public’s demands for economic relief in a timely manner.
This warning follows a recent nationwide protest, during which six JI members were detained on allegations of setting motorcycles and tires ablaze in Karachi. The JI has publicly distanced itself from these actions.
On the same day, Hafiz Rehman, along with Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Prime Minister’s Adviser Rana Sanaullah, announced that the JI and the federal government would establish committees aimed at recommending steps to lower the petroleum levy and alleviate the economic burden on citizens.
Negotiations and Continued Protests
In a press conference held in the capital, alongside JI Deputy Chief Mian Muhammad Aslam and Islamabad Amir Nasrullah Randhawa, Rehman indicated that formal discussions with the government are set to commence on Monday, while simultaneous sit-in protests across the nation will persist.
He took the opportunity to criticize the current government and its bureaucracy, labeling it as an unconstitutional “Form-47 arrangement” that shifts the weight of its inefficiency and lavish spending onto the public through excessive taxation.
Rehman highlighted that the JI had engaged in protests for 21 consecutive days, with sit-ins occurring at numerous locations including 20 sites in Balochistan and Swat. He noted that public pressure had led to a reduction in electricity prices by Rs10–12 per unit, saved the national treasury Rs4,300 billion through negotiations with Independent Power Producers (IPPs), and averted further increases in petrol prices.
Economic Concerns and Governance Issues
Addressing the pressing economic crisis, the JI chief pointed out that Pakistan’s total debt currently stands at Rs110,000 billion, with annual interest repayments reaching Rs8,000 billion. He argued that a three percent reduction in the central bank’s policy rate could eliminate the necessity for the petroleum levy altogether.
Rehman also condemned systemic corruption, citing annual losses of Rs1,300 billion attributed to incompetence at the Federal Board of Revenue. He criticized ongoing payments to re-gasification plants, even when liquefied natural gas was not being supplied.
Moreover, he brought to light failures in governance within the social sector, referencing a catastrophic fire at the state-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences and a troubling 50 percent failure rate in ninth-grade examinations in Punjab.
Future Plans and Local Issues
Rehman did not hold back in his critique of key political parties in Sindh, labeling them as “opportunistic” and accusing them of neglecting the issues facing Karachi. He asserted that the dissatisfaction among residents has led to calls for the creation of a separate province.
As part of the party’s strategy moving forward, Rehman announced plans for a signature campaign aimed at reaching 50 million citizens. This campaign will advocate for structural economic relief, reforms in local government, and a reduction in the price of bread to Rs10.
