JI chief pledges fair politics amid constitutional unrest

Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that the prevailing political and constitutional turmoil with regard to the 27th Constitutional Amendment row had intensified public anxiety and created fresh challenges for citizens’ fundamental rights and the governance structure. He added that his party did not seek power through conspiracies and would not participate in any non-transparent electoral process.

Addressing the opening session of the party’s three-day annual congregation at Lahore's historic Minar-e-Pakistan, he said Pakistan, at this critical juncture, required a clear direction and unwavering constitutional supremacy so that every citizen could feel part of a fair and equitable system.

Describing the gathering at the Greater Iqbal Park as a symbol of unity, Naeem noted that thousands of participants from across the country had turned it into a disciplined congregation unmatched in scale. He claimed that the organisational standards demonstrated at the venue reflected the tireless work of thousands of volunteers, ensuring facilities for all attendees, including women, and creating an administrative model he believed no political party or government could replicate.

Referring to JI’s ideological and historical foundations, he said the movement initiated by Syed Abul A’la Maududi had evolved into a broad-based effort dedicated to the establishment of a just social order. He stressed that JI should not be viewed merely as a political party driven by personal interests or controlled by influential families or institutions, but rather as a religious and social movement committed to service beyond sectarian and communal divides.

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Commenting on global politics, Naeem criticised the concentration of economic power in the hands of a small global elite and pointed to what he described as destabilising American policies.

He said that prolonged wars and unwavering support for Israel had deepened humanitarian crises in several regions, while the use of veto powers at the international level had hindered justice for oppressed communities. He argued that no unjust system could sustain itself indefinitely and urged the Muslim world, including Pakistan, to play a more active role in shaping a fairer global order.

Speaking about Kashmir and Palestine, the JI chief said Pakistan must continue to uphold its principled stance while maintaining that JI had always supported the state in difficult times—even when the party disagreed with the establishment. He added that there could be no compromise on Kashmir and that the Palestinian question had long been central to political discourse in the subcontinent.

Turning to domestic governance, Naeem argued that Pakistan’s system had for decades remained in the grip of entrenched power structures that limited citizens’ rights. He said the combined influence of landlords, capitalists, and bureaucracy had deprived ordinary people of education, employment, justice, and inheritance rights.

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According to him, deep-rooted class divisions had adversely affected children’s education and women’s rights, slowing national progress. The JI chief criticised the state’s neglect of regions such as Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and Sindh, linking persistent local grievances to long-standing administrative failures.

He added that JI would continue to advocate for farmers, labourers, and young people at every platform. He also pointed to the recurring agricultural crisis in Punjab and what he called the damaging role of various mafias.

Pakistan, he noted, belonged not to a single individual but to the millions who sacrificed for independence. To steer the nation out of despair, he said a comprehensive political and social roadmap would be announced on the third day of the congregation, and that the movement would continue nationwide thereafter.

He concluded that Pakistan could not progress without an equitable system and that no force could obstruct a united public once it chose to assert its rights. The session was also addressed by Jamaat-e-Islami’s deputy chief Liaquat Baloch, Dr Osama Razi, Secretary General Ameer ul Azeem, and others. Thousands of participants, including women and children, have travelled from across the country to attend the congregation, which will conclude on Sunday afternoon.