LAHORE: Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has called for a national dialogue to address the longstanding issues in Balochistan and emphasised an urgent need to address grievances of the Baloch people, particularly the families of missing persons.

At a press conference in Mansoora on Thursday, Rehman stressed that the use of force had repeatedly failed to resolve such complex issues and argued that a dialogue was the only viable path forward.

He urged the government to engage with Balochistan’s true leadership to restore peace and stability in the region.

He earlier presided over a meeting of the JI central leadership. The meeting discussed the overall political and economy situation in the country, peace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan and the JI membership drive besides ‘Haq Do Awam Ko’ (give rights to people) movement.

While advocating for a strict response to terrorism, he highlighted the importance of understanding and addressing its root causes.

He said all political stakeholders in KP should sit together to establish peace in the province. He proposed that Pakistan and Afghanistan should engage in talks with a broader vision, involving China and Iran, to bring lasting peace to the region.

Rehman further noted that the government had only 17 days left to implement the Rawalpindi agreement or risk facing a public backlash.

“We will consider all options, including a long march, sit-in in Islamabad, as well as shutter-down and wheel-jam strikes,” he warned.

Reaffirming JI’s commitment to pressuring the government to reduce power tariff and eliminate unfair taxes on the salaried class, he urged for expanding the tax net to include the feudal elite.

He also called for a review of agreements with independent power producers (IPPs) and criticised the ruling class’s lavish lifestyle, funded by state resources.

He said the JI had already launched a nationwide membership drive, with an ambitious goal of recruiting five million new members. Once the drive is completed, the JI plans to form public committees and mobilise the masses to fight for their rights. The movement would focus on strengthening democracy, upholding the rule of law, ensuring freedom of speech, and providing universal access to health and education.

Special attention would be given to women’s rights, youth empowerment, land reforms, and electoral reforms, which Rehman identified as key items on JI’s agenda.

The JI emir condemned the repeated postponement of local body elections in Islamabad, vowing that the Jamaat would initiate a movement to ensure the polls were held without further delay.

Rehman also called for a fair investigation into the wheat import scandal, stressing that those responsible in the former caretaker and PDM governments must be held accountable.He called for the release of all political prisoners, including Imran Khan, and criticised those who came to power through electoral rigging. He insisted that only governments with legitimate Form 45 results should be recognised. He emphasised that all institutions must operate within the limits set by the Constitution, stating that Pakistan could only progress through the supremacy of law.

Later, he inaugurated the JI model membership camp in Saddar area of Lahore.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2024