LAHORE, Feb 24 (NNI): Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said on Monday the party would launch a protest movement against the government after Ramazan.
Addressing a press conference at the conclusion of the party’s three-day central Shura meeting in Mansoorah, the Jamaat-e-Islami Emir said the party had reviewed facilities available to the masses.
As part of the strategy, he said, the JI would stage protests on national highways and besiege chief minister and governor houses.
He said that convoys from across the country would participate in the movement, with farmers, laborers, students, and the general public joining the struggle for their rights—particularly for a reduction in electricity prices and resistance against Independent Power Producers (IPPs). He asserted that the government would be compelled to surrender to public pressure.
He criticized the existing electoral system, stating that governments should be formed based on Form 45, not Form 47. He also condemned the use of Pakistan’s controversial PECA law against Jamaat-e-Islami’s Mansehra chief, calling it an attack on freedom of expression and demanding his immediate release.
Rehman criticized mainstream political parties for ignoring public issues such as education, women’s rights, and the growing drug problem in educational institutions. He lamented the deteriorating law and order situation in the country, particularly in the merged tribal districts, where he said terrorists roam freely while the government merely talks about military operations without addressing the root causes of terrorism.
Expressing concern over the issue of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, he stated that thousands of people are missing, and if institutions themselves do not uphold the Constitution and avoid political interference, how can they expect ordinary citizens to abide by the law? He strongly condemned recent attacks on passenger buses in Balochistan. He demanded that the Baloch people be granted their rightful dues.
The JI leader also criticized the lawlessness in Sindh, describing it as a “dacoit rule” and said that life in Karachi has been made unbearable. He said the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) failed to regulate the operations of water tankers and dumpers in Karachi, leading to frequent accidents and loss of lives. Commenting on the situation in Punjab, he said that the so-called “Kisan Card” was merely a loan scheme, and farmers were not given fair wheat prices last year, with no clear decision yet on this year’s support price.
Rehman said the United States is trying to create conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan, warning that such a scenario would only benefit external enemies. He urged Islamabad and Kabul to engage in meaningful dialogue for peace and ensure that Afghan soil is not used for terrorism in Pakistan.
On international issues, he declared that former U.S. President Donald Trump’s dream of occupying Gaza would never come true. He mocked Trump’s statements, likening them to those of a real estate agent, and suggested that if he loved Israelis so much, he should settle them in New York. He called on Pakistan and other Muslim countries to take concrete action in support of Gaza.
Regarding Kashmir, Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman stated that the Kashmiri people must be given their due rights as per UN resolutions. He demanded that the government clarify reports of a secret deal on Kashmir during former Army Chief General (Retd.) Qamar Javed Bajwa’s tenure. If such a deal took place, he said, Bajwa should be held accountable. He rejected any proposals for trade with India or military confrontation with Afghanistan, calling them contrary to Pakistan’s national interests.
Meanwhile, speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Bano Qabil program in Sheikhupura, he said the ruling elite has spread hopelessness in the country, but the youth must defy despair and prove that they are the true agents of change.
Rehman has announced a nationwide IT revolution, pledging to provide free IT training to millions of students to equip them with employable skills.
Thousands of students participated in the entrance test for the free IT training program.
Rehman stated that under Bano Qabil, JI aims to train one million boys and girls in IT skills across Pakistan. The program has been expanded nationwide, with plans to establish an IT university and campuses in major cities. He added that trained youth would also be provided with job opportunities, while housewives would be offered IT courses to enhance their skills.
He criticized the government for failing the education sector, calling the current system elitist and exploitative, making quality education inaccessible to the poor and middle class. He highlighted that 2.75 million children in Pakistan are out of school, with over 12.5 million in Punjab alone. Instead of ensuring education for all, he said, the Punjab government is handing schools over to NGOs and relying on superficial reforms that exist only in advertisements.
The JI Emir urged the youth to become Bano Qabil ambassadors and demand that education be treated as a fundamental right rather than charity. He also announced plans to provide IT training to teachers so they can pass on knowledge in both public and private schools. He emphasized that if Pakistan focuses on IT development, its tech exports could reach $20 billion in the coming years. NNI
