Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman has announced a nationwide strike on September 3, saying the protest could potentially turn into a complete wheel-jam if the situation develops in that direction.
Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, Hafiz Naeem said he would travel to different cities to persuade traders and industrialists to join the Jamaat-e-Islami’s movement. He said meetings with business leaders would be held in Faisalabad, while public gatherings are also planned in Lahore and Peshawar.
He said sit-ins were also being launched in Quetta and that protests would continue until the party’s demands were addressed. According to him, consultations were also underway over a possible protest call towards Islamabad.
Hafiz Naeem criticised prolonged electricity and gas load-shedding and demanded the removal of fixed charges from electricity bills. He also called for an immediate review of agreements with independent power producers.
The Jamaat-e-Islami leader accused the government of increasing the financial burden on citizens and businesses, saying high fuel, electricity and gas costs were creating serious difficulties for the public.
He also questioned the government over the deaths of children in the PIMS hospital incident and raised concerns about the hospital’s administrative arrangements.
Hafiz Naeem further alleged that the major political parties were engaged in political manoeuvring while ordinary citizens continued to face economic and public-service problems.
