JI continues protests against electricity tariff hike

Tells govt to realise gravity of situation, warns of public anger going out of control

KARACHI:

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi Ameer Engr Hafiz Naeemur Rehman while addressing a protest demonstration said that the government will have to realize the gravity of the situation as it would be leading masses to unimaginable anarchy and lawlessness.

The protest demonstration against electricity tariff hike was held at North Nazimabad area of Karachi, here on Sunday. A large number of area residents, including women and children participated in the protest.

Protesters, carrying placards and banners, chanted slogans against the K-Electric and the previous and incumbent regimes. Besides the JI workers, people belonging to all walks of life participated in the protest.

JI Karachi Ameer Engr Hafiz Naeemur Rehman while addressing the protesters said all the luxuries and subsidiaries for the elite class, whereas inflation, petrol bombshells and taxes for common people; it is a flawed policy and it won't work.

He said that the Caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar, needs to pack up if he can increase the prices of electricity and fuel but can't reduce them.

The JI leader said that 35 million Karachiites have been recording their peaceful protest for several days and the rulers are playing the role of just silent spectators, instead of taking concrete actions.

He said that 90 per cent of the ruling elite class, including the bureaucrats, never uses fuel on their own expense.

Just four per cent feudal lords have clutched 40 percent of the agricultural land in the country, whereas the rulers have declared them tax free.

The tax submission by the agricultural land to the national exchequer was Rs4 billion as compared to Rs300 billion by the salaried class, he said, adding that this kind of injustice will push the country to a horrible scenario.

Don't you dare to increase the fuel prices as it is reportedly being discussed, he warned Kakar.

He said that apart from the strike the JI will also call for a sit-in protest, whereas the party has also been consulting with stakeholders over a call against payment of electricity bills.

However, he said, the government and the KE will be responsible for any untoward incident.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 28^th, 2023.