Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has issued a stern warning that the party’s anti-inflation sit-in in Rawalpindi could extend for a month if the government fails to address their demands, including a reduction in electricity prices.
“Our sit-in is not for two or three days but can last for a month,” Rehman declared while addressing the participants at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi. The protest had originally converged in Islamabad but was relocated to Rawalpindi after being denied permission to demonstrate at the federal capital’s D-Chowk area.
The JI has put forward 10 demands to end the sit-in, with a primary focus on slashing power tariffs. The party has formed a committee to negotiate with the government on these issues. Rehman warned that if the government does not take their demands seriously, the sit-in will be moved to the doors of the parliament.
JI Naib Emir Liaqat Baloch confirmed that the party leadership had been contacted by the interior minister and other government officials to initiate dialogue. Baloch welcomed the offer but emphasized the immediate release of arrested JI workers as a precondition. He noted that the demands were prepared with the help of experts and underscored their importance.
On Friday, JI claimed that at least 1,150 of its workers were arrested while attempting to march to Islamabad after authorities imposed Section 144 in the federal capital and across Punjab. The workers were later released, and the sit-in continued in Rawalpindi, causing significant traffic disruptions.
During discussions with government officials, the JI reiterated its demand to abolish the “slab system” in electricity bills, which assigns different per-unit rates based on usage. They also called for a 50% reduction in electricity bills for those using up to 500 units. Additionally, JI demanded the termination of agreements for capacity payments in US dollars with independent power producers (IPPs), the withdrawal of taxes imposed on the salaried class, the abolition of the petroleum levy, and a reversal of the recent hike in fuel prices.
Rehman and his party remain committed to their protest until the government addresses these pressing issues.
