• Naeem says sit-in to end only if electricity bills reduced, contracts with IPPs withdrawn
• Govt forms technical committee after initial round of talks; second round likely today

RAWALPINDI: Jamaat-i-Islami emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman announced on Sun­day that his party would end its sit-in only if there is a reduction in electricity bills and the elimination of contr­acts with independent power producers (IPPs), which have burdened the masses.

His statement 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).

Addressing a public gathering at Liaquat Bagh, Mr Rehman accused the government of feigning ignorance about the “fraudulent nature” of IPPs and reiterated that the protest would continue until their demands were met.

He criticised the Pakistan Peoples Party for introducing IPPs in 1994 and accused the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Musharraf administration of benefiting from IPPs. He said JI had plans on how to control the IPPs and manage these contracts.

“The world is increasing its electricity capacity in the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI). But in Pakistan, there is no policy or plan,” Mr Rehman said.

He said that Jamaat brought change in society while engaging youngsters in peaceful protest. “The government wanted to trap JI by not allowing a sit-in at D-Chowk but we managed to avoid it and decided to stage a sit-in at Liaquat Bagh so that the young generation understands that we can pressurise the government for their genuine demands,” he said.

Mr Rehman also warned the Punjab government against privatising public schools, which he said were crucial for providing education to the poor.

Earlier, on Sunday morning, Mr Rehman addressed the sit-in participants, stressing the necessity of peaceful political resistance in the face of “governmental inaction”. He 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 said.

Govt’s technical committee

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 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. The meeting’s venue will be announced on Monday morning.

Speaking to the media after the first session of talks in Rawalpindi, Liaquat Baloch said the meeting with the government yielded positive results. “If the government takes these talks seriously, it will not only give relief to them but also to the people of Pakistan; otherwise, the dharna and protest of the people will force them to think seriously,” he said.

Mr Baloch said that Jamaat’s committee informed the government team that it had become impossible for people to pay electricity bills, petrol prices had become unaffordable, and the salaried class had been burdened with additional taxes.

Criticising the government’s controversial agreements with IPPs, he said it was inappropriate to force people to pay beyond their income by saying that these are international agreements. “There are no international agreements. Only one international agreement is with China, which is our friend who can never see Pakistan in trouble,” he said.

Mr Baloch said under the guise of China, the government is protecting the rights of the privileged class and compromising the interests of 250 million people. “We will not allow it to happen,” he said.

Regarding the release of JI workers, the JI vice emir said that several party activists were arrested and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that all would be released. Mr Baloch said a large number of people had been released, but 35 were still detained.

On the other hand, Federal Minister Ataullah Tarar confirmed that the technical committee would meet with JI’s team today to further discuss the issues. He assured that all 35 arrested JI workers would be released. Mr Tarar expressed confidence that the matter would be resolved amicably through dialogue, allowing protesters to disperse honourably after the dialogue.

The minister stressed that the government is already giving a Rs50 billion subsidy to electricity consumers using up to 200 units. Minister for Kashmir Affairs Amir Muqam reiterated the government’s commitment to addressing public grievances. “We share many of the same concerns as JI and are working towards providing relief to the people, reducing taxes and lowering electricity tariffs,” he said but emphasised the need for realistic solutions within the government’s financial means.

Tariq Fazal Chaudhry urged JI leaders to consider the daily impact of the sit-in on residents of Rawalpindi and Islam­abad, particularly with the blockage of the crucial Murree Road.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2024