Jamaat-e-Islami postpones sit-in at D-Chowk in respect of Ashura

Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman vows rally to be better prepared and more forceful, assures JI not backing down

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has postponed the sit-in scheduled for Friday at D-Chowk in Islamabad. It was agreed that the rally would be held on July 26 now, as reported by Express News.

According to sources, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi contacted the leadership of Jamaat-e-Islami, requesting the postponement of the sit-in.

During a press conference in Lahore on Thursday, JI leader Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman stated that the sit-in date was changed due to the observance of Ashura.

He said that considering the requests from scholars and the security situation during Muharram, JI decided to postpone the sit-in until after Ashura.

He emphasised that the sit-in would be more prepared and forceful than before and assured that JI is not backing down. The nationwide sit-in will commence simultaneously with full strength.

The JI leader announced that instead of the sit-in, protests and camps would be held in all cities across the country on July 12, with further sit-ins in various cities on July 14. On July 24, convoys from different cities will head towards Islamabad.

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Rehman criticised the government for its handling of electricity bills, claiming they have shaken the country. He highlighted that the middle class and traders are particularly distressed, with no segment of society spared by the government's actions.

The JI leader warned of worsening conditions in the coming days, citing the recent increase in commercial electricity rates by Rs8 per unit. He questioned how economic improvement could be achieved under such circumstances, noting that even residential areas are not receiving relief.

Rehman also mentioned that the PDM government had announced relief, but the IMF blocked it, rendering government announcements meaningless.

He accused the government of ignoring public concerns while increasing administrative expenses by 25% in their budget. He questioned why the government did not reduce its expenditures while the nation incurs daily debts of Rs56 billion.

The JI leader also pointed out that $42 billion has been paid to IPPs under capacity charges, and called for transparency regarding the taxes paid by the Zardari and Bhutto families on their estates.