Tax hikes set off wave of protests nationwide

JI joins the chorus, launches ‘Haq Do Awam Ko’ movement

LAHORE/ ISLAMABAD:

As traders came up in arms over tax hikes and soaring power prices, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) joined the chorus on Monday, announcing a protest in Islamabad for July 12 against “high taxes and exorbitant electricity tariff.”

The JI launched its “Haq Do Awam Ko” (give rights to the masses) movement via a post on social media platform X, with JI emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman slated to lead the rally.

Meanwhile, the government’s decision to load the budget with additional taxes and hike electricity prices has stirred up a hornet’s nest among traders, with the business community holding rallies in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, and Peshawar.

During the demonstration, they chanted slogans against the taxes imposed on electricity bills and even set fire to gas bills. One faction of traders symbolically closed their businesses at 4 pm to register their protest.

Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, JI emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman expressed concerns over the economic hardships faced by citizens, asserting that the JI could not stand idly by while people suffered under such “circumstances.”

He lashed out at the government and ruling elites for clinging to their privileges while pushing the nation into “further difficulties.”

Describing the budget as “harsh,” he accused the government of seeking to impose additional taxes on the populace, focusing the burden on salaried workers while exempting landowners and the elite.

“We believe these issues require genuine attention,” Rehman stated, revealing that after consultations with party leaders nationwide, JI decided to stage a major rally in Islamabad on July 12.

“The protest rally will demand reduced electricity bills and taxes,” he emphasised. “The privileged sector must relinquish its perks, and the per unit power price must be lowered, alongside an overhaul of the tax system.”

Rehman also criticised the tiered pricing structure of electricity bills, calling for its abolition and predicting that the protest would compel the government to backtrack on its “harsh measures.”

Highlighting the exodus of professionals—119% more compared to the previous year—he cited doctors, engineers, IT specialists, and chartered accountants among those leaving due to economic distress.

“If they depart, who will steer the nation?” he rhetorically questioned.

Rehman emphasised that such taxes were driving professionals away and disillusioning the youth, questioning the government’s approach and accusing the current administration of acting unilaterally.

“We cannot abandon our citizens. Insha’Allah, on July 12, JI will lead a historic protest,” he affirmed, suggesting the protest might escalate into a sit-in.

“We will sit, continue sitting, and conduct our campaign for Pakistan from there,” he declared, asserting that no alternative existed.

The party, he added, was also deliberating on a strike call and appealed to traders, industrialists, and the salaried class to join their movement.

Rehman also criticised power distribution companies for load shedding during the recent heatwave and dismissed calls for re-elections, affirming the presence of Form 45.