Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Naeemur Rehman has warned that his party supporters would march towards Parliament House from Murree Road in the federal capital if demands were not met.
“The sit-in has been held at Zero Point and on the Murree Road,” Rehman said while addressing party supporters in Rawalpindi on Saturday, accusing the government of trying to provoke the protesters.
He vowed that the ongoing sit-in demonstrations would not end until their demands were met. “We will not go back without securing our rights,” he said and advised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif not to be complacent.
The JI leader stated that the protests and negotiations would continue simultaneously, and “if their demands are not met, they will march” to the Parliament House.
“Tomorrow [Sunday], we will transform this sit-in into a historic public gathering,” Rehman said and urged the protesters to bring their friends and family members to join the demonstration.
He called for accountability and reform in Pakistan. “These wolves cannot rule over Pakistan anymore,” he thundered, referring to the current political leadership. “They are sucking our blood.”
Rehman declared that the sit-in was “awakening the nation” and questioned whether the government could proceed without addressing the protesters’ demands.
“Can we go without curbing the IPPs [Independent Power Producers]?” he asked the cheering crowd. “Can we leave without abolishing taxes on flour, lentils, and children’s milk?”
The Jamaat-e-Islami leader asserted that people across Pakistan have pinned their hopes on this protest, and questioned whether the government can move forward without conceding to their demands.
“The government has blocked off Islamabad with containers on all sides,” Rehman said and vowed that the protesters would not leave until their objectives are met.
The Jamaat-e-Islami rejected on Saturday negotiations with the government and presented its 10 demands to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi as the religiopolitical party’s Rawalpindi sit-in against exorbitant bills enters its second day.
“The party has decided not to participate in the negotiation process with the government,” JI spokesperson Qaisar Sharif said in a statement. “The JI will not engage in talks with the government until the release of its workers.”
However, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi says the government is keen to engage in talks with Jamaat-e-Islami in a serious manner.
Sharif added that JI Deputy Ameer Liaqat Baloch has informed Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi about their demands. He reiterated the negotiation process would not start until the release of workers.
The government has not yet fulfilled its promises and released the people, he added.
Naqvi had a telephonic conversation with Baloch earlier in the day.
Baloch presented the party’s demands before him and said that a 50 per cent concession should be given in electricity bills, the slab rate should be abolished, the agreement on capacity payments from IPPs should be terminated, and the oppressive burden of taxes on the salaried class and the recent increase in petroleum product prices should be withdrawn.
The government should give a 50% concession to those using 500 units of electricity, abolish the petroleum levy, and reverse the recent increase in prices, the party leader said.
The JI also demanded that the prices of essential commodities be reduced by 20%, cut in government expenses, 35% cut in non-developmental expenditures, end of agreements with IPPs. Baloch also called for brining the elite class in the tax net.
The Jamaat-e-Islami sit-in protest against expensive electricity agreements and overbilling at the Murree Road in Rawalpindi entered its second day on Saturday.
Islamabad too remained completely sealed off, while in Quetta, the district administration set up containers around the Red Zone area and deployed a heavy police force. Similar scenes were observed in other cities.
The JI has launched a nationwide protest, which mainly focused on Islamabad and Rawalpindi. After it was not allowed to gather at the D-Chowk in the federal capital, JI workers began a sit-in on Murree Road in Rawalpindi, blocking one of the main arteries in the city.
The Islamabad administration did not grant Jamaat-e-Islami permission to protest in the Red Zone on Sunday, and several workers were taken into custody. After this, the participants reached Murree Road near Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi and staged a sit-in.
Addressing the protest, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Hafiz Naeem said, “D-Chowk is not far from us, and even if they call us at midnight, the workers will reach D-Chowk.”
On the orders of the Interior Minister, the arrested workers of Jamaat-e-Islami were released.
Late at night, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi issued instructions to release the arrested workers of Jamaat-e-Islami. Rawalpindi police had arrested around 30 Jamaat-e-Islami workers.
On the demand of Hafiz Naeem, the Interior Minister contacted IGP Islamabad Ali Nasser and directed him to release the arrested workers.
According to the latest information, in view of the Jamaat-e-Islami sit-in in Islamabad, there is a strict police blockade on entry and exit points of Lahore.
The roads leaving the city were still partially closed for general traffic. As a result, travelers were facing difficulties in their commute.
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Naeem during his address demanded that payments to IPPs should be stopped and the protestors were not going back until the demand was met.
Jamaat-e-Islami spokesperson Qaisar Sharif claimed that 1,150 people have been arrested so far.
After sealing the Red Zone in Islamabad and arresting the workers, Jamaat-e-Islami decided to hold sit-ins at 3 locations, while the central leadership announced that they would camp at Zero Point.
Naeem later arrived at the sit-in near Liaquat Bagh on Murree Road and addressed the protestors.
He said that JI workers were organized, and present on Murree Road “even at this hour of the night.”
Addressing the workers, Hafiz Naeem said, “When you are not tired, I am also not tired. I will ask you to move forward at any time, you have to stay here only, you are not going anywhere.”
The Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer said that the closure of one industry results in the loss of employment for thousands of people.
Syed Areerf Sherazi, the JI district chief for Rawalpindi, downplayed reports that the party had been allowed to stage a sit-in at Murree Road. He said they did not have any discussion with anyone.
It is pertinent to mention that after the Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and workers were preparing to stage a sit-in at D-Chowk in Islamabad, but the administration placed containers in Rawalpindi and Islamabad’s Srinagar Highway. Consequently, several routes leading to the Red Zone and D-Chowk were sealed.
