JI emir warns escalating protests across country if demands not met

KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman has threatened to escalate the party’s protests if the government does not address their demands to revise tax rates and renegotiate agreements with independent power producers (IPPs).

Addressing a sit-in outside the Governor House in Karachi, Naeem stated that while JI seeks to avoid confrontation, it should not be mistaken for weakness.

The protests, which have disrupted major roads and sparked demonstrations in various cities, are fueled by concerns over high electricity costs. Naeem urged the government to act before the public refuses to pay their bills, citing recent unrest in Kenya and Bangladesh as cautionary examples.

Moreover, he criticized the government for failing to conduct a forensic audit of the IPPs’ accounts, alleging that the nation has already paid Rs8,500 billion to these producers. Naeem accused the ruling class of colluding with criminals and being unwilling to take decisive action against those exploiting national resources.

In addition, Naeem called for a rationalization of the tax system, pointing out that sectors like health, education, and food security, which were supposed to be tax-exempt under the IMF program, have still faced tax burdens. He also advocated for reducing interest rates to alleviate economic pressures on the poor and ending the monopoly of Karachi Electric (KE).