KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman has warned of expanding the party’s sit-ins if the government doesn’t address demands to revise tax rates and review agreements with independent power producers (IPPs).
“JI does not want confrontation and chaos, but this should not be seen as weakness,” Naeem said during a sit-in outside the Governor House in Karachi on Sunday.
The JI is protesting high electricity costs, leading to the shutdown of a major road to Islamabad and protests in Karachi and other cities.
Naeem urged the government to learn from the situations in Kenya and Bangladesh and reduce the electricity tariff before people refuse to pay their bills.
Forensic Audit of IPP Accounts
Naeem highlighted that Rs8,500 billion had been paid to IPPs, calling for a forensic audit to uncover the truth. He accused the authorities of collaborating with criminals, which prevented action against those exploiting the nation’s resources.
He criticized both dictators and politicians, claiming they had failed the country. Naeem also blamed local agents of the IMF for the current economic crisis.
Rationalize Tax Regime
Naeem demanded a rationalization of the tax regime to provide relief to the masses. He criticized the government for imposing taxes on health, education, and food security sectors, which were supposed to be exempt under the IMF program.
He called for an immediate reduction in the interest rate and its gradual elimination to help the poor. He also demanded an end to the monopoly of Karachi Electric (KE).