JI plans to lock down Karachi on Tuesday against POL price hike

Karachi Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has appealed to the people of Karachi to join the JI in its all-out protest in the metropolis on September 19 by jamming its all major arteries.

Reduce the petroleum products’ prices or face the music, the JI leader told the caretaker government as he announced the citywide protests at a press conference held at the Idara Noor-e-Haq on Sunday.

Later in the day, he also presided a sit-in protest on Sharea Faisal. Speaking at the press conference, the JI leader said the youth in Karachi would take to 15 designated points on Tuesday evening and jam all designated points by turning off their vehicles.

He lambasted the caretaker government for raising the petroleum prices to all-time high, stating that raising the petroleum and electricity prices at a time when the US dollar had been losing its value was quite illogical.

The rulers should realise that their brinkmanship would result in disastrous consequences, Rehman said, adding that the country was being run by mafias that would be the first one to escape if it defaulted.

He said the victims’ silence supported the oppressors and masses would have to come out to attain their due rights. The JI leader said the hike in petroleum prices would be the test case for the new chief justice of Pakistan. He added that the party would also write a letter to the chief justice in this regard.

Rehman demanded that the caretaker prime minister use a 1,000 CC car if he was sincere to the people and the same should be followed by judges and generals. He added that free petrol and electricity or any compensation in this regard should be withdrawn immediately from all public sector office holders.