LAHORE, Feb 01 (NNI): Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman has announced a nationwide observance of Kashmir Solidarity Day on February 5 and unveiled a new roadmap for protests against inflated electricity prices and unfair IPP agreements.
Addressing a press conference at Mansoorah on Saturday, he stated that he would participate in and address a massive Kashmir rally in Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir, on Sunday (tomorrow). The JI, he said, will host a National Kashmir Conference in Islamabad on February 3. He also declared a protest against rigging in the general election on February 8.
Commending JI leaders and workers for organizing demonstrations in hundreds of cities on January 31 against high electricity prices and IPP agreements, Rehman expressed gratitude to the participants. He vowed to intensify the “Haq Do Awam Ko” (Give Rights to the People) movement in the coming days.
The JI chief rejected the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) and pledged support for journalists, stating that the law is solely aimed at curbing freedom of expression, suppressing democracy, and silencing political opposition.
Rehman urged the government to announce a support price for wheat, criticizing the Punjab government for deceiving farmers during last year’s wheat procurement drive. He demanded real relief for sugarcane growers and small-scale farmers through subsidies on agricultural inputs instead of cosmetic Punjab government schemes like the Kisan Card and tractor schemes.
Slamming the government’s claims of reducing inflation, the JI chief pointed out that prices of essential commodities like pulses, sugar, petroleum products, gas, and electricity bills continue to rise, worsening public hardships. He criticized lawmakers for granting themselves massive salary hikes, saying that all major parties, including the PML-N, PPP, PTI, and MQM, were united in this move.
Rehman reaffirmed JI’s unwavering support for the struggles of Kashmiris and Palestinians, warning the government against succumbing to any U.S. pressure to recognize Israel. He rejected the Abraham Accords and urged Pakistan to take an active role in aiding Palestinians and rebuilding Gaza, including joining Qatar’s Gaza Fund. He lamented that Pakistan’s rulers had abandoned the Kashmiri cause, urging Islamabad to aggressively advocate for Kashmir on the global stage.
He demanded the Foreign Office clarify reports regarding alleged negotiations over Kashmir by former Army Chief Gen (Retd.) Qamar Javed Bajwa, reiterating that Kashmir remains Pakistan’s ideological, geographical, and economic lifeline.
In response to journalists’ questions, he rejected the appointment of bureaucrats as vice-chancellors in Sindh universities, voicing support for protesting teachers. He criticized the PTI for compromising on its stance regarding Form 47 in the recent elections but backed dialogue between PTI and the government.
While supporting peace talks with Afghanistan, he maintained that no dialogue or relations with India should take place until Kashmiris are granted their right to self-determination. NNI
