Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a task force on the Jamaat-e-Islami’s demands, however, the religiopolitical party believes the federal government was not ready to provide relief from independent power producers (IPPs) agreements.
“The government is not ready to provide relief from the IPPs,” JI leader Liaquat Baloch told reporters after the meeting on Wednesday. “We still have reservations on the government’s recommendations.”
The fourth round of negotiations between the government and JI took place at the Commissioner’s Office in Rawalpindi.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, who was part of the government’s team, stated that discussions with JI have been fruitful with several issues being resolved in writing.
The government negotiating team included Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, SAFRON Minister Amir Muqam, and PML-N MNA Tariq Fazal Chaudhry. PM’s Media Coordinator Badar Shahbaz, the RPO, and the Rawalpindi commissioner also attended the meeting.
Sources told Aaj News that the government team presented a draft to the JI and amendments were made to the draft twice before it was presented. The religiopolitical party also presented its “final demands” to the government’s negotiating committee, stating that it “would not back down” from its demands under any circumstances. But the ministers requested the JI to show “some flexibility” on matters including IPPs.
“Demands of Jamaat-e-Islami are aligned with the government’s agenda,” the information minister said and added that a follow-up meeting with the party has been planned for Thursday (tomorrow) evening.
He confirmed to the media that the JI’s detained workers in Sialkot have been released. When asked about the IPPs, Tarar said the task force would review and address the issues.
JI Deputy Chief Baloch said they have proposed their recommendations on “six points” to the government.
“The only solution for the IPP agreements is for the government to review them, as the public’s money is being wasted,” he said and warned that if the government does not provide relief to the people, it would have to be held accountable.
Baloch claimed that the government officials were reportedly pocketing billions of rupees through the “capacity billing”. He went on to add that the civil bureaucracy, the military, and the judiciary should think and consider that such perks and privileges were unaffordable.
