Jamaat-e-Islami Announces Nationwide Protests Against Rising Electricity Bills on September 29
LAHORE, Sep 24: Jamaat-e-Islami has declared a series of countrywide demonstrations on September 29 to protest against soaring electricity bills and the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in Pakistan.
During a press conference, party chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman highlighted that the government has been paying IPPs between 2,000 to 2,400 billion PKR annually since 2000. He criticized the taxation system, stating that salaried individuals bear the burden of taxes while landlords and IPPs enjoy tax exemptions. He condemned the inclusion of fuel price adjustments, TV taxes, and various other levies in electricity bills.
Hafiz Naeem urged the public to take a stand, emphasizing that this issue concerns 250 million people, not just their party. He recounted how Jamaat-e-Islami staged a 13-day sit-in in Rawalpindi and reached an agreement with the government, which was publicly announced.
“Today marks the 46th day since the government promised a forensic audit of IPPs within a month. We will hold significant protests across the country on September 29,” he stated.
The Jamaat-e-Islami leader noted that the membership campaign for the party is ongoing, with increasing public support. He warned the government against actions that could undermine the democratic process and announced plans to transform their “Right to the People” movement into a larger resistance effort.
He revealed plans for a nationwide referendum between October 23 and October 27 to gauge public opinion on whether people intend to pay electricity bills, having already contributed significantly to capacity payments. This referendum is expected to be historic, with potential for a wheel jam strike and a million-man march towards Islamabad if the government fails to act.
Hafiz Naeem dismissed claims of decreasing inflation, arguing that the drop from 20% to 18% is minimal. He demanded that the interest rate should be gradually lowered, beginning with a cut to 10%.
Additionally, he expressed solidarity with the people of Gaza, Palestine, and Lebanon, condemning Israeli aggression, and announced a week of tribute for the victims of Israeli violence.
