KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman emphasized on Monday that his party will not join any political alliance. Speaking at a meeting of JI officials at Idara Noor-e-Haq in Karachi, he stated, “Our alliance is with the youth and the people.”
Naeem criticized the current political parties, claiming they lack real democracy and rely on the establishment to gain power. He pointed out the “confusion” within these parties and declared that JI could not support them. He also announced a shutter-down strike across the country on August 28.
JI Demands Relief in Electricity Bills
Later, at a press conference, Naeem criticized the government’s recent announcement of a temporary relief of Rs14 per unit on electricity bills in Punjab, calling it “insufficient.” He demanded significant relief for the entire nation, not just one province.
Naeem shared that JI is planning a mass mobilization campaign alongside the upcoming strike. He highlighted that only 34 days remain in a 45-day agreement and warned that JI will mobilize youth from across the country to march on Islamabad if the government does not honor the agreement.
Criticism of Sindh Government
Naeem also criticized the Sindh government, led by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), for not devolving powers to local governments as required by the constitution. He accused the PPP of hoarding all significant powers and failing to address the needs of Karachi, such as waste removal, water supply, and road maintenance. He further criticized the PPP’s poor handling of post-rain conditions in the province and the substandard patchwork on Karachi’s roads.
He blamed K-Electric (KE) for Karachi’s electricity issues, stating that the company has failed to maintain the city’s power infrastructure. According to Naeem, KE’s power generation has dropped by 20% over the last 19 years, and the company suffers from high line losses. He accused KE of corruption and criticized its close ties with the government and the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA).
Despite these challenges, Naeem affirmed that JI is committed to serving the people of Karachi and will continue to do so, even beyond its mandate.