Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan (JIP) leader Sirajul Haq on Saturday fired a broadside at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led government saying Pakistan and the incumbent administration cannot go hand in hand.
Addressing charged sit-in crowed at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi, the former emir of JI said "The rulers are focused on securing the future of their own families, while the nation's priorities are entirely different."
Highlighting the escalating cost of living, he pointed to the recent surge in electricity prices, which he claimed has driven Pakistanis to desperation.
Sirajul Haq suggested a symbolic gesture to restore public trust: "If the electricity of the President and Prime Minister's house is cut off, then the people will believe that the solution and remedy for every problem is sit-in."
He lamented that the vision of Pakistan's founders, who envisioned a nation governed by common people, has been subverted by self-serving elites.
He recalled Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah's dedication to Pakistan, noting that he refused to seek treatment abroad, declaring he would live and die in Pakistan.
Jamaat-e-Islami's demands
The sit-in, which has entered its second day, has drawn a significant number of Jamaat-e-Islami workers who are advocating for a set of ten demands aimed at alleviating the economic burden on the public.
Key among these demands is a 50% reduction in electricity rates for consumers using up to 500 units, and a reduction in the prices of essential food items.
Jamaat-e-Islami has formed a negotiation committee led by Liaquat Baloch to engage with the government. The demands also include:
- Immediate withdrawal of the recent hike in petroleum prices and the abolition of the petroleum levy
- A 20% reduction in the prices of essential items
- Elimination of taxes on stationery items
- A 35% cut in non-developmental government expenditure
- Revision of agreements with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to eliminate capacity charges and payments in dollars
- Abolition of illegal taxes on agriculture and industry, with a 50% reduction in the tax burden
- Promotion of industry, trade, and investment to create employment opportunities for the youth
- Removal of taxes on the salaried class and inclusion of the privileged class in the tax net
Impact on twin cities
Despite the ongoing protests, normalcy has been largely restored in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, with traffic resuming on Faizabad and Expressway.
However, traffic flow remains affected at the protest site. As a precautionary measure, the administration has suspended the Rawalpindi-Islamabad metro bus service.
