Govt warned against sabotaging JI sit-in

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan Ameer Engr Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has said that the JI does not want to pick the route of civil disobedience, however he expressed his determination to exercise rights, while warning the government against sabotaging the July 26 Islamabad sit-in.

The JI supremo expressed these views while addressing a gathering of lawyers hosted by the Karachi Bar Association at Jinnah Auditorium in the city court, here on Wednesday. Later, in the day, the JI head also addressed a traders' convention at a local hall.

Speaking on the occasions, he said that he said that the sit-in was aimed at bringing relief for 250 million Pakistanis and any attempt to disrupt it would lead the nation to a full scale anti-government movement.

He said that the JI has been considering all the options, including strikes, countrywide lockdowns and boycott of electricity bills, if the government fails to admit initial demands. The JI would continue talks, if the government admits initial demands, he said.

The sit-in will continue till its logical conclusion, the government will have to reduce the illogical and unjust burden of taxes, particularly from the salaried class.

Talking about the core demands, he said that the unjust agreements with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) that bound the nation to pay the IPPs as per their capacity and not generation will have to be scrapped.