Addressing the party’s “All Punjab Gathering of Office-Bearers” in Lahore, Hafiz Naeem said establishing a system based on justice and equality was Jamaat-e-Islami’s responsibility. He said the time had come for the party to emerge as a major political force in Punjab.
He announced that Jamaat-e-Islami would hold a public rally at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore on November 29 under all circumstances. He warned the government against attempting to stop the event.
Hafiz Naeem said the party would launch an extensive public mobilisation campaign ahead of the rally. He added that further large public gatherings would be held in Peshawar on December 5 and Karachi on December 20.
He said the government was responsible for providing equal educational opportunities to every child in return for the taxes it collected. Jamaat-e-Islami would no longer limit its protests to the petroleum levy but would hold the government accountable on all public issues, he added.
He said the party would launch a movement to ensure equal opportunities for all citizens.
Hafiz Naeem alleged that the state was creating conditions that pushed people towards crime. He also said ideological differences among political party leaders had disappeared, making them appear increasingly similar.
On petroleum prices and the levy, he said Jamaat-e-Islami had submitted a set of proposals to the government. He warned that the government would face difficulties if it backed away from addressing the issue.
He said the party had made it clear that the government should not attempt to evade its demands through delaying tactics.
Expressing concern over the condition of farmers in Punjab, Hafiz Naeem said Jamaat-e-Islami would stand with them. He questioned Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz over the worsening situation of farmers and called on her government to explain how they had reached such a difficult position.
The JI emir said his party would raise its voice on every issue affecting the public and continue its struggle for equal rights and opportunities.
He said political parties that established a strong position in Punjab had historically influenced national politics. He claimed Jamaat-e-Islami would soon emerge as a major parliamentary force across Pakistan.
Criticising the country’s political, social and economic system, Hafiz Naeem said it had been held hostage by a small group of powerful individuals who used political engineering to influence the political process.
He alleged that governments were imposed on the public through different means, including the suspension of the Results Transmission System (RTS) and the use of Form 47.
He said political rivalries were driven by personal interests rather than the welfare of the public.
Hafiz Naeem said politics in the subcontinent remained influenced by personality cults, feudalism and capitalism. He alleged that the establishment had spent the past 80 years bringing political parties under its influence and facilitating the entry of electable candidates into different parties.
He said there was no effective system of justice and accountability in the country. Jamaat-e-Islami needed to take the lead in shaping public opinion and bringing about systemic change, he added.
He claimed that Jamaat-e-Islami was the only political option capable of bringing about such a change.
