JI chief says Centre, KP govt ignoring public issues

BATKHELA\ TAKHTBHAI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Sunday said that both the provincial and federal governments were busy in mutual fighting while no one was paying attention to the problems of the people.

He was addressing a ceremony held in connection with the Bano Qabil Programme’s entry test at the Thana Baizai Sports Complex here. The event was attended by thousands of male and female students from Malakand, Dir, and Bajaur districts.

“If Pakistan is to move forward, IT education must be made free. There are over 30 million out-of-school children in the country, while in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone, five million children between the ages of five and sixteen are not attending school. We ask the provincial government who is responsible for this. We don’t need your slogans and hollow claims,” the JI chief said.

Congratulating the participating students, Hafiz Naeem said that modern education began in this region 120 years ago. “Move forward in information technology - make yourselves useful not only for your own future but also for the progress of society. Pakistan is the country of its youth and children. Our vision is to provide this generation with opportunities so they can contribute to national development,” he stated.

The JI chief said that 30 million children across Pakistan and five million in KP are out of school. “We demand quality and uniform education for all. Education should not be divided between rich and poor. Jamaat-e-Islami, without any government authority or power, has launched the Bano Qabil Programme. As many as 1.15 million young people have registered for it so far, and hundreds of thousands will continue to benefit from this initiative. This is the era of IT and Artificial Intelligence - Bano Qabil is a game changer,” he said.

Hafiz Naeem added that this country belongs not to the elite , but to the hardworking people and students. He said: “We will not let our youth remain ignorant but will enlighten them with the light of knowledge. We aim to change the system, not faces. We will ensure funds and powers for local government representatives, introduce police reforms, liberate the economy, and eliminate interest-based practices. Youth should join us in this movement - Bano Qabil will reshape Pakistan’s future.”

Later, addressing the Fazila Conference at Jamia Miftah-ul-Uloom, Shergarh, Mardan, Hafiz Naeem said that the economy, agriculture, and industry all require deep structural changes to ensure justice and prosperity for all.

The JI chief urged Islamic scholars affiliated with the Islamic movement to rise above sectarian and minor doctrinal differences and to work collectively for the establishment of Deen (Islamic system) in the country. He stressed that unity among scholars of different schools of thought was essential for societal reform.

Hafiz Naeem also invited participants to attend the upcoming three-day Ijtema-e-Aam to be held under the shadow of Minar-e-Pakistan in November. He called on religious leaders to promote this gathering through their sermons and lectures, expressing hope that the event would prove to be a turning point for change and help bridge political divides in the country.

Highlighting the importance of education, he said that alongside religious knowledge, it was vital for scholars and youth to understand modern scientific disciplines and global ideologies. The JI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (North) chief Inayatullah Khan, party’s district head Shahab Hussain, Zafar Ibrahim, Amjad Ali Shah, and other leaders also spoke on the occasion.