Sit-ins
LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Sirajul Haq said the party would stage sit-ins outside the Governors’ Houses in the country to demand relief from unbearable electricity bills.
During a press conference in Mansoora, Lahore, he stated, “The government intends to charge Rs90 per unit of electricity. We will continue to protest against the government’s wrong decisions. We have decided to present a white paper to expose the culprits.”
On Sunday, Pakistan witnessed partial shutdowns as various trade bodies, along with the JI, called for protests. They protested against soaring electricity bills, as well as increases in petrol and gas prices.
These price hikes have burdened masses already grappling with severe inflation. The JI Amir had set a deadline of Saturday midnight for the government to provide relief to the people before calling off the strike.
Siraj was of the view that his party did not accept the previous governments’ agreements with the IMF.
He alleged that the corrupt elites 100 percent benefitted from the deal and the poor faced the brunt.
Siraj went on to add that the agreements have put a heavy toll on the people. He added that the party would seek details of all agreements under the Right of Access to Information Act.
Nationwide protests against inflated bills
Meanwhile, Major cities across the country witnessed road closures and business shutdowns because of the nationwide strike called by JI to protest against soaring electricity bills. Traffic on the National Highway experienced significant delays.
Dozens of political activists ignited tire fires and blocked major roads in Karachi early on Saturday, causing the city to head towards a shutdown. Concurrently, lawyers in Karachi boycotted the courts.
The Jamaat-e-Islami has called for a nationwide strike today to protest against soaring electricity bills.
In Islamabad, the trader community launched a shutter-down strike against inflation and exorbitant electricity bills. However, a few shops remained open in the Aabpara market.
For the past week, people across the country have been staging demonstrations, demanding a reduction in electricity prices. Nonetheless, the caretaker government has refused, citing a breach of the loan agreement with the IMF if such a move is made.
