Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Monday reiterated his party’s demand to have the electricity tariff reduced and rid the country of independent power producers (IPPs), threatening that the party would continue its ongoing protest until the government takes action.
Addressing a rally in Rawalpindi, Rehman said that the underprivileged segment of the society cannot afford to pay the capacity charges of the IPPs.
He asked the government to revisit the agreements made with the power producers, accusing the government of making the IPPs even more powerful.
“They signed agreements — unnecessary agreements — those agreements are full of lies,” he said.
Furthermore, the JI emir said that if the government wanted, they “could take a stand”, adding that if IPPs are not fulfilling their end of the bargain, they do not have “legal rights”.
“It’s wrong when people say that they have a legal right as legal rights belong to those who legally fulfil their [part of the ] agreements,” he said.
His statements came after the government formed a technical committee to work on the resolution of contentious issues following an initial round of negotiations on Sunday.
A second round of talks between the government and Jamaat is likely to be held today (Monday).
He criticised the previous and present governments for giving into IPPs since 1994, adding, “If IPPs are state-owned and the government has shares, then who is stopping the government from decreasing capacity charges?”
“Why should Pakistan’s poor population pay for those capacity charges?” he questioned, adding that the agreements were almost anti-state.
Rehman also requested the Punjab government to not impede female protestors, reiterating that it was their right to protest, saying that women are the “most heavily impacted by electricity bills”.
“This is a cowardly act. It shouldn’t be done,” he said, adding that the party will continue to protest regardless.
On Sunday, Rehman had addressed the participants of his party’s sit-in in the capital, stressing the necessity of peaceful political resistance in the face of “governmental inaction”.
He had called for the removal of the recent increase in electricity bills and pledged to secure guarantees from the government that cannot be ignored.
“It’s not anyone’s desire to leave their home and sit on the road. When the ruling class closes all the roads for us, people are forced to protest,” he had said.
Led by Information Minister Ataullah Tarar, Kashmir Affairs Minister Amir Muqam and PML-N’s Islamabad President Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, the government delegation met JI Vice Emir Liaquat Baloch on Sunday at the commissioner’s office in Rawalpindi to find a middle ground.
JI presented its demands and the two sides decided to hold another dialogue session to sort out issues regarding electricity bills and other matters.
As a first step, the government has announced that it would release all Jamaat workers and supporters detained over the past three days under Section 144.
It also announced the formation of a technical committee. This committee, including the power minister, the energy secretary, and representatives from the Federal Board of Revenue and the Ministry of Finance, will discuss JI’s demands in depth, it added.
