KARACHI: On Sunday, Jamaat-e-Islami staged a sit-in protest in front of the Sindh Governor’s House to voice their concerns about the rising prices of petrol, inflation, and the conflict in Palestine.
Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, the Chief of JI Karachi, expressed frustration with political parties for seemingly prioritizing power struggles and election delays over providing relief to the general population. He also criticized the ruling elite in Pakistan, which has been in power for decades with the backing of the United States and Western powers. Rehman argued that this elite’s decisions have led Pakistan to enter into the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program, and then they claim to have no alternative but to accept IMF conditions.
Rehman claimed that the IMF has recommended imposing taxes on the wealthy and providing relief to the poor, but successive governments have favored the rich, who are often part of the government.
He also criticized past governments for agreements with independent power producers (IPPs), where consumers have to pay charges to IPPs whether they consume electricity or not. He vowed to lead a movement seeking the cancellation of K-Electric’s license.
During his address, Rehman also commended Hamas for launching a successful attack on Israel. He mentioned that Muslim rulers offered refuge to Palestinians in the past, but now they are resisting those who once protected them from oppressors. He expressed the view that Zionists are influencing the United States, the West, and global economic institutions, shaping global economic policies.
Rehman rejected the idea of a two-state solution for the Palestine-Israel conflict, arguing that the entire region should be considered Palestine, rather than two separate countries.
