Govt has 28 days to implement deal: JI

Hafiz Naeem says pakka bandits patronising katcha dacoits

LAHORE:

Jamat-e-Islami (JI) emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has said that the Katcha dacoits are supported by the Pakka dacoits, and without this support, the Katcha bandits cannot survve.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters Mansoora, the JI chief said only 28 days are left in the deadline to implement the agreement inked between the government and the JI. He said that a public agenda had been formulated through re-organization of 'Haq Do Awam Tahreek'.

Political parties are doing politics of interests and personal agendas. No one wants to talk about the high cost of electricity and gas. They are rather involved in political maneuvering, said Hafiz Naeemur Rehman.

He pointed out that none is ready to talk about IPPs, which are running a cruel system, adding the salaried class is being burdened with heavy taxes. The JI chief highlighted that the government had exempted the IPPs from income tax, adding four contracts of IPPs had expired but they were re-imposed on the nation. He said these contracts were made by deceiving the public, and those involved in these agreements should be held accountable as they were all accomplices.

The JI chief said the IPPs were paid Rs2,000 billion despite the fact that they did not generate electricity. He said the shutter-down strike will be observed across the country on August 28. He expressed support for the countrywide strike call given by the traders.

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said the JI has not sit idle after the sit-in, adding, "We are following up things after the agreement as 28 days are left in the deadline given to the government to implement the contract."

"We want to tell the PML-N and PPP that we won't give in," said the JI leader, adding Rs14 per unit reduction is quite nominal. The electricity tariff will reduce manifold if Sharif family's IPPs are abandoned.

He said the IPPs were given Rs1.2 trillion tax exemption in 2017-18 while the government imposed tax on the salaried class and levy on petroleum products. This is the height of cruelty. The tax target will not be achieved by imposing arbitrary taxes.

Hafiz Naeem said the FBR report itself acknowledged corruption worth Rs1,299 billion, adding bribe was taken to give relief in taxes. He accused FBR of being involved in corrupt practices, saying no one is ready to fix things in FBR. The JI chief lashed out at President Zardari, saying he used to criticize the practice of making political prisoners but after becoming the president, he is putting his energy in other things.