Hafiz Naeem warns govt against blocking Islamabad sit-in amid police crackdown

Several Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and workers arrested in various parts of Punjab on eve of protest

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has warned the government that it will be held responsible if the party is prevented from entering Islamabad for their planned protest against electricity price hike and inflation.

Naeem in a statement issued on Thursday stated that they believe in peaceful political resistance to secure public rights. "We are not afraid of arrests, and Jamaat-e-Islami cannot be stopped," he said. "The historic sit-in on Friday, July 26, will represent 250 million people of Pakistan, and we will sit peacefully at D-Chowk."

Naeem added that convoys from across the country are on their way to join the sit-in, which he believes will be successful and provide relief to the people. He emphasised that raising their voice for the nation is their constitutional and democratic right and urged the administration to provide a venue for the protest. He warned that if they are prevented from protesting, their movement will spread nationwide.

"I invite every segment of society to join the sit-in," Naeem said. "We will welcome any political party that wishes to participate."

The protest is against expensive electricity agreements and overbilling. Ahead of the sit-in, police in various areas of Punjab and Rawalpindi raided the homes of Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and officials, arresting several of them.

The police raided the house of Jamaat-e-Islami's central secretary-general, Ameerul Azim, but could not arrest him, instead taking his driver, Shaukat Mahmood.

Ameerul Azim reported that police also raided the homes of Lahore Jamaat-e-Islami leader Ziauddin Ansari and other officials to prevent the sit-in. He condemned these raids in a video message, describing them as unconstitutional and undemocratic.

"Police misconduct towards women at various locations is regrettable," he said. "The government's behaviour is unconstitutional and undemocratic. Peaceful protest is every citizen's constitutional, legal, and democratic right."

Ameerul Azim confirmed that the Islamabad sit-in will proceed as scheduled, led by Jamaat-e-Islami leader Hafiz Naeemur Rehman.

In Rawalpindi, police crackdowns resulted in the arrest of seven officials in Attock. Sources reported that the police also raided the house of PTI leader Zaheer Ahmed Awan in Waris Khan, but he was not present.

A senior police officer in Rawalpindi, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that they had received instructions to take preemptive measures to maintain law and order.

Jamaat-e-Islami leaders arrested include Hafiz Ajmal and Mian Usman Rafi in Kharian Cantt, along with eight officials in Bahawalpur. Police also raided the homes of Lahore leader Ziauddin Ansari, Lodhran district leader Dr Tahir Chaudhry, Taxila's Owais Aslam Mirza, and Hassan Abdal leader Noorul Amin.

A Jamaat-e-Islami spokesperson stated that when Noorul Amin was not found at his home in Hassan Abdal, police took his young son instead.

In response, the administration and police have tightened measures to prevent participants from reaching the protest, with Section 144 imposed across Punjab, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi.