Daily Times

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has given a call for citywide shutdown on September 19, Tuesday (tomorrow), to protest against the inflation and inflated electricity bills. While addressing a press conference Sunday, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman appealed Karachiites for an all out protest in the city on September 19 by jamming all major arteries in Karachi. Later in the day, the JI leader also presided a sit-in protest at Shahrah-e-Faisal.

Reduce the petroleum products prices or face the music, the JI leader told the caretaker government at a press conference held at Idara Noor-e-Haq, the JI Karachi headquarters, here on Sunday. Later in the day, the JI leader also presided a sit-in protest at Shahrah-e-Faisal.

Speaking at the presser, the JI Karachi chief said that youth would take to 15 designated points on Tuesday evening and jam all designated points by turning off their vehicles. The JI leader strongly lambasted the caretaker government and dubbed it a continuation of the legacy of the previous coalition government, a press release read. He said that the caretaker government has increased the PoL prices for the third time in just a single month. He added that raising the POL and electricity prices at a time when the US dollar has been losing its value was quite illogical.

The rulers should have realized that the people are on the brink of their tolerance. He said that the country has been run by mafias and the mafias will be the first ones to escape if the country defaults.

He said that silence by victims support the oppressors. He further said that masses will have to come forward for their due rights. He said that the new chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan has assumed the office and it would be his test if he takes his first notice on the PoL prices and decides in the favor of masses or not.

Hafiz Naeem further said that the party will also write a letter to the chief justice in this regard. He demanded the Caretaker Prime Minister to curtail subsidiaries and luxuries offer to elite in the public sector. He also demanded him to use 1000 CC car if he is sincere to the masses and the same should be followed by judges and generals. Similarly, he said, free petrol or electricity or compensation in this regard should be cut off immediately to all public sector officers and office holders.

He appealed the masses to come forward for a long struggle against injustice and oppression as it is the only way forward in the prevailing situation. Earlier, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) decided to stage sit-ins outside four Governor Houses and in front of the power companies’ offices.