JI announces plans to stop paying electricity bills after October referendum

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan staged a protest in Lahore against unjust taxes on electricity bills and called for the termination of Independent Power Producers (IPPs). The party also held a memorial prayer for Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was recently killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut.

During the protest, Deputy Amir Liaqat Baloch announced that a public referendum would be conducted in October to ensure citizens' rights. He stated that the demonstration was a clear message to the government that they could not evade their commitments.

Baloch asserted that Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif had completed negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and no obstacles were remaining for implementing relief measures for the public.

General Secretary Amir ul-Azeem of Jamaat-e-Islami declared, "We will not pay our bills. If the public decides to stop payments, the IPPs will be forced to retreat, and we will be successful." 

Other leaders echoed his sentiments, stating that the rising electricity costs have made it impossible for citizens to manage their bills. They warned that if the government failed to lower prices, they would push for accountability.

The protest concluded with the party performing a memorial prayer for Hassan Nasrallah, honouring his legacy in the context of resistance movements.