Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) has ended its two-week sit-in after making a deal with the government. The agreement focuses on forming a task force to address key issues, including reducing electricity bills, lowering taxes on the salaried class, and scrutinising agreements with independent power producers (IPPs). The announcement was made in the early hours of Friday after the fifth round of talks concluded at JI’s protest site.
Despite ending the sit-in, JI emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman emphasized that the party was only deferring its protest, not ending it completely. He made it clear that the party would closely monitor the government’s actions and would resume the sit-in if the promises were not fulfilled. The task force, formed as part of the agreement, is expected to finalise its report within a month and a half, which will then be submitted to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
During the announcement, JI’s naib emir, Liaqat Baloch, addressed the participants and highlighted that the government agreed to the party’s demands after 14 days of persistent protests by JI workers. Baloch stated that the task force would conduct an audit of the IPP agreements, with foreign experts involved to ensure transparency. He stressed the importance of monitoring the energy sector to provide further relief to consumers.
Govt Vows to Provide ‘Relief’ to the People
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi expressed the government’s commitment to providing relief to the public, with a focus on reducing electricity bills soon. He praised JI for its peaceful approach in pushing for these demands, stating, “We aim to make the country prosperous.” Information Minister Ataullah Tarar also supported the agreement, noting that JI’s demands aligned with the agenda of the ruling PML-N party. He highlighted that the PML-N government had already allocated Rs 50 billion to provide relief to consumers using up to 200 units of electricity.
The negotiations between JI and the government resumed on Tuesday after a five-day break, with both sides working to reach a consensus. The government agreed to provide a written response to JI’s demands by Wednesday, after which Hafiz Naeemur Rehman would decide the next steps for the sit-in. The JI delegation in the talks was led by Liaqat Baloch and included Amirul Azeem, Syed Farasat Shah, and Nasrullah Randhawa, while the government delegation was led by Interior Minister Naqvi and included Information Minister Tarar.
Earlier, at a press conference during the sit-in in Rawalpindi, Hafiz Naeem criticized the existing tax system, calling it a “double, triple” tax burden on the salaried class. He argued that it was unfair for people to pay taxes on their salaries and then again on essential items like flour, sugar, and ghee. The JI chief warned that the public’s frustration was mounting, and if the issues were not addressed, the situation could escalate.
With the sit-in now paused, all eyes will be on the government and the task force to see if they can deliver on their promises and bring much-needed relief to the public.