JI Calls Off Protest Sit-in After Successful Talks with Govt

Rawalpindi/Staff Reporter- JI Calls Off Protest Sit-in After Successful Talks with Govt, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has deferred its planned protest sit-in after successful negotiations with the government. The decision comes after a series of talks between JI leaders and government representatives, which yielded a breakthrough in resolving outstanding issues.

The announcement came late Thursday after the conclusion of the fifth round of talks with the government’s negotiation team at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi.

JI Demands,

• Abolition of Petroleum Development Levy on all petroleum products and withdrawal of latest increase in prices of these products.
• 20% reduction in prices of food commodities, electricity and gas tariffs.
• Renegotiation of agreements with independent power producers (IPPs)
• End clause of agreement with IPPs on making payments in US dollars.
• 50% discount should be granted to power consumers of 500 units
• Reduction in taxes on agriculture and industrial sectors besides decreasing their financial burden by 50%
• Ensure incentives to industrial sector, trade and investment to provide employment to youth.
• Withdrawal of increase in taxes on the salaried class and imposition of taxes on the privileged class.
• Cut in non-development expenses by 35%.
• Withdrawal of all taxes on stationery and other items used in education and training of children.

We are deferring and not ending the sit-in,” announced JI Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman, adding that he would formally announce the decision to defer the protest demonstration today at a rally.

The JI chief warned that his party would stage a sit-in again if the government failed to implement on the party’s demands.

Rehman said the JI would hold a rally on Islamabad highway today (Friday) where he said future course of action would be announced.

The agreements with the IPPs are under the spotlight as people are paying hefty bills blamed on capacity payments being made to independent power producers. The JI had staged its sit-in against inflation and agreements with the IPPs, which was also held in Karachi since Saturday.

Liaquat Baloch appreciated the participants of the sit-in for maintain discipline.

You have written a new chapter through this sit-in. Despite the obstacles, the party workers participated in the protest, and some of our workers were even arrested,” Baloch said.

The government has also agreed on the ToRs of the taskforce, which include selecting experts from the public-private sector, involving the Wapda chairman and auditor general, and hiring a private firm and chartered accountants to examine the IPPs matters, Baloch said.

All matters have been finalised with the government and the government would ensure implementation of the agreement that was signed by Tarar and Naqvi, he said.

JI’s Sit-in Aims to Rewrite Pakistan’s History: Hafiz Naeem

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the government has promised to provide relief to the public, and electricity prices would be seen decreasing soon.

JI emir Naeem-ur-Rehman said the government representatives have made an agreement in front of the entire nation and the party was confident that the government would implement the agreement.

The government delegation was led by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar accompanied by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.