JI’s prolonged sit-in concluded after being assured by government to meet its demands
(The news analysis)
By Zaib Azkaar Hussain
Well-done Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman you fought constantly for the masses and after all achieved your goal on unbearable hike in power tariffs and other essential items.
By holding a historic sit-in that lasted for fourteen days by, Jamaat- e-Islami (JI) chief not only created awareness among the citizens of the entire country and then held a long sit-in in convincing the government to get realised the unnecessarily increase of hike in power tariff, hike in petroleum products and others.
Perhaps this was for the first time that a sit-in lasted for 14 days that merely protested and registered masses’ woes on hike issue.
Hafiz Reman no doubt has done a historic job in a way that he and his party men and sympathizers staged a historic sit-in in Rawalpindi to mark their protest on people’s issue.
The government finally took the matter seriously and undertook to resolve the hike issue being faced by the citizens of Pakistan.
JI Emir Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman who announced to defer the sit-in warned that his party would stage sit-in again if the government failed to implement its undertakings on the demands.
Another JI leader Liaquat Baloch along with government’s negotiation committee declared on August 8, 2024 to address the issues without further delay.
The Jamaat-e-Islami has announced “deferring” it’s nearly 14 days-long protest sit-in after successful negotiations with the government over demands including slashing high power tariff and reviewing agreements with Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
A view of recently concluded JI’s sit-in which is captured by ChroniclerThe announcement came late Thursday night after the conclusion of the fifth round of talks with the government’s negotiation team at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi.
Rehman said that his party was deferring and not ending the sit-in.
He added that he would formally announce the decision to defer the protest demonstration on Friday at a rally.
The JI chief clearly warned that his party would stage another sit-in again, in case the government remained unmoved and failed to get the party’s demands implemented.
The agreements with the IPPs are under the spotlight as people are paying hefty electricity bills blamed on capacity payments being made to independent power producers. The JI had staged its sit-in against inflation and agreements with the IPPs.
The JI demanded of abolition of Petroleum Development Levy on all petroleum products and withdrawal of latest increase in prices of these products.
20% reduction in prices of food commodities, electricity and gas tariffs.
Renegotiation of agreements with independent power producers (IPPs)
End clause of agreement with IPPs on making payments in US dollars.
It asked to grant 50% discount to power consumers of 500 units.
Reduction in taxes on agriculture and industrial sectors besides decreasing their financial burden by 50%.
Ensure incentives to industrial sector, trade and investment to provide employment to youth.
JI also demanded withdrawal of increase in taxes on the salaried class and imposition of taxes on the privileged class and cut non-development expenses by 35%. It demanded withdrawal of all taxes on stationery and other items used in education and training of children.
Addressing the sit-in participants, Deputy Emir of JI Liaquat Baloch said that the government agreed to the Jammat’s demand to impose taxes on land-owners, adding the government also consented to reducing the tax on the salaried class in stages.
Baloch said that Information Minister Ataullah Tarar and Interior Minister Moshin Naqvi, signed the agreement on the party’s demands.
The two sides were in harmony in today’s meeting that the government will hold scrutiny of agreements with independent power producers (IPPs), Baloch said, adding that a task force to be formed for the purpose which will table its report before Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif within a month.
Liaquat Baloch further said that the two sides agreed that the matters related to IPPs and the energy sector would be monitored.
The per unit power price of electricity will be reduced over the next one and a half months, he said, adding that power bills would be slashed at all costs.
It is hoped that the issues raised by the JI Chief and his party would be resolved without further delay.
Ends
