JI to launch movement against Punjab LG law

Announces holding a public referendum on Jan 15

ATTOCK:

JI chief Hafiz Naeem has declared the Punjab's local government law fake, anti-democratic, and a manifestation of hostility toward the people.

"On January 15, the JI will hold a public referendum against the law and in favour of an empowered local government system and later will also surround the Punjab Assembly.

"A newly organised movement will be launched against the IPPs [independent power plants] mafia," he said, while addressing a public gathering in Attock on Wednesday.

Naeem highlighted the country's judicial system, educational issues, and the hardships faced by labourers and farmers, strongly criticising the prevailing system. He said that since the creation of Pakistan, the objectives of independence have yet to be achieved.

He alleged that the bureaucracy remains the guardian of the system left behind by the British, while the civil and military establishments continue to run the same colonial framework.

Under the outdated system, he said, the bureaucracy considers itself the ruler rather than the servant of the people, landlords and capitalists have remained loyal to British interests for generations, and political parties resort to appeasing the establishment in order to come into power.

He said the country needs a change of system, not just faces, and that the struggle to change this system must be intensified. The JI chief said the Constitution clearly defines the limits of institutions and urged the powerful segments to stop distributing certificates of treason.

He said political parties should work to empower the people, but the reality is that the judicial system is rotten, people are forced to endure hardships to obtain justice, 2.3 million cases are pending in courts, and three crore children are out of school.

"Children of poor labourers and farmers do not have access to quality education, while government schools are being sold off," he added.

He said millions of labourers in the country are not even recognised as workers, face registration issues, and despite government announcements, the minimum wage is not implemented.

He urged JI workers to reach out to the youth and accelerate the struggle to raise public awareness, saying the country cannot progress without getting rid of the imposed ruling class.

Naeem also urged the prime minister should stop appeasing the US president and genuinely represent the people, adding that a prime minister who engages in flattery and sycophancy is unacceptable to the nation.

He said Trump is fully backing Netanyahu, whom he termed the killer of Palestinians, and alleged that Trump had abducted the Venezuelan president and his wife, while now threatening Greenland, Cuba, and Iran.

He questioned whether Trump could still be called a messenger of peace, as claimed by the prime minister, recalling that Shehbaz Sharif had proposed Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. "Does he still stand by that proposal?" he asked.

The Jamaat-e-Islami chief warned that war between Pakistan and Afghanistan would benefit forces hostile to Muslims. He urged both countries to act wisely and resolve their issues through dialogue, suggesting that if talks fail, mediators should be sought.

He said there are many people in both countries who can help pave the way for dialogue, and also offered JI's cooperation in facilitating Pakistan-Afghanistan talks.