Hafiz Naeemur Rehman says sit-in marks beginning of wider struggle against inflation

Addressing participants of the sit-in in Lahore, Hafiz Naeem said the protest had entered its second day and people across the country, including Balochistan, were listening to the message. He said the movement was not merely the voice of Jamaat-e-Islami but the voice of the people.

He described the sit-in as a rehearsal for a larger struggle, saying successive rulers had been brought to power and later rejected by the people. He said the country's existing system had become outdated and could no longer continue.

Criticising the judicial system, Hafiz Naeem said around 2.4 million cases were currently pending in Pakistani courts and people were being denied justice.

He said good people existed in every section of society, but the "rotten system" prevented them from coming forward. He stressed that the struggle against the system would not be conducted through weapons but through the power of the people.

The Jamaat-e-Islami chief also criticised the petroleum levy, saying his party had filed a petition against it in the constitutional court two months ago, but proceedings had not moved forward.

He said Jamaat-e-Islami would now establish a "people's court" and hold the rulers accountable.

Hafiz Naeem said his party wanted to bring about change through the people and would not come to power through Form 47 or any "backdoor". Instead, it would seek a mandate directly from the public.

Addressing young people, he asked whether they were ready for a major struggle.

He said the prevailing circumstances indicated that the Lahore sit-in could become the beginning of a much larger movement. According to him, immediate relief for the public was essential to keep the country's economic wheel moving.

Hafiz Naeem said rulers had little understanding of the difficulties faced by ordinary citizens, who were struggling to pay rent, children's school fees and electricity bills. He warned that economic hardship was pushing young people towards despair, drugs and crime.

He alleged that small criminals were arrested and punished while "big criminals" controlled the system, describing Pakistan's existing structure as a system of the powerful rather than one based on merit and justice.

Criticising independent power producers (IPPs), Hafiz Naeem said the IPP "mafia" had remained influential under successive governments since 1994. He alleged that billions of rupees were being paid in capacity payments even when electricity was not being generated, meaning consumers were being charged for power that was not produced.

He said salaried workers were heavily taxed while large business interests received concessions. According to him, the elite enjoyed tax exemptions, cheaper electricity and loans at lower interest rates, while ordinary citizens continued to bear the burden of taxation.

The Jamaat-e-Islami emir said privileges and tax exemptions provided to the elite were causing billions of rupees in losses to the national exchequer. He added that expensive electricity, gas and fuel were hurting industrialists, forcing industries to close and affecting exports.

He said the rulers continued to claim that the country was progressing, but the situation on the ground told a different story. Poverty, education and employment remained major challenges in Punjab.

Hafiz Naeem said millions of children in Punjab were out of school, while attempts were being made to hide the government's failure to run public schools through outsourcing. He said government employees, doctors and teachers were protesting, while farmers were becoming increasingly indebted after every crop.

He alleged that large landowners and business mafias were benefiting from government policies, while specific interest groups were profiting from the import and export of sugar, wheat and other commodities.

He questioned why Punjab's basic problems had remained unresolved despite governments ruling the province for the past 40 to 45 years. He also said the failure to hold local government elections raised serious questions about the democratic system.

Hafiz Naeem said dynastic politics had held democracy hostage, while political parties had repeatedly formed alliances to serve their own interests. He noted that different political parties had joined forces in the past to form or topple governments.

He said the Lahore sit-in was aimed at making the "throne of Lahore" accountable to the people. If the government wanted negotiations, he said, its representatives should come to the protest site and speak directly with the protesters.

He said the people did not need a "magic show" but genuine relief. He described the demand to bring petrol prices down to Rs225 per litre as justified and called on the government to provide immediate relief on fuel prices.

Hafiz Naeem made it clear that the Lahore sit-in would continue and warned that failure to accept the demands could lead to a call for sit-ins across the country.

He said Jamaat-e-Islami also had the option of launching a nationwide shutter-down strike if necessary, while its workers were prepared to march on foot from different parts of the country. He added that a long march towards Islamabad also remained an option.

Hafiz Naeem urged the people to unite against what he described as a system of injustice and called on young people not to lose hope. He said continued struggle was necessary to bring about change.

He said legitimate means of earning a livelihood were being made increasingly difficult while illegal avenues were becoming easier, forcing people to work two or three jobs just to provide two meals a day. He identified education, healthcare and employment as the biggest challenges facing ordinary citizens.

The Jamaat-e-Islami chief warned that the prevailing situation could eventually push people towards resistance and urged the government to engage in serious negotiations to address public grievances.

He said Jamaat-e-Islami was not dependent on any mafia or vested interest group and was funded through donations from its workers. He added that the expenses of the sit-in were also being met through contributions from workers and the public.

Hafiz Naeem appealed to the people to support Jamaat-e-Islami's struggle for justice and the rights of ordinary citizens.