Jamaat holds PTI govt’s flawed policies responsible for inflation and unemployment

As part of the Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) ongoing countrywide campaign against inflation and unemployment, the politico-religious party’s Karachi chapter on Sunday organised a rally where speakers held the federal government’s mismanagement, incapability and flawed policies responsible for the rising inflation and joblessness in the country.

Addressing the protest rally on New MA Jinnah Road, JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said inflation and unemployment had broken all records under the regime of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Calling the current level of joblessness in the country, a tsunami of unemployment, he said the lower and middle classes had been in misery since the incumbent regime took charge. He said the entire country was staging protests on the appeal of JI Emir Sirajul Haq. “The issue of inflation and joblessness affects the kitchens of almost 98 per cent populace in Pakistan,” he added.

Rejecting the promising economic figures issued by the government, Rehman remarked that those figures were fake and fabricated because there was no positive impact of the economic policies of the government on the public.

The recent budget was passed as per directions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and it affected the general public in a very adverse manner, he stated. The JI city chief was of the view that the rising inflation directly translated into the fact that the economy of the masses was deteriorating. He also questioned the impression that the gap between imports and exports had reduced.

Severely criticising the recent budget, he asked what kind of budget it was that had caused petroleum and power tariffs rising every other day. He alleged that the K-Electric had been overcharging the power consumers of Karachi because the company’s founder enjoyed the support of the PTI leaders.

“If you can’t provide electricity, natural gas and peaceful environment, why do you collect taxes from the masses?” he asked. The JI leader also lambasted the government for its policies taken under the IMF’s directions. “The prevailing economic system is based on the slavery of the IMF”, he said. “There are examples of IMF-free economies in several parts of the world,” he added.

Highlighting the plight of Karachi, Rehman said Karachi was facing discrimination for political advantage of rulers. He said the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) had recently offered the JI for a joint struggle to secure the future of Karachi. He, however, reminded the MQM-P that they were part of the federal government.

“Also, the MQM-P had been enjoying the treasury benches both in Sindh and the Centre since long but it didn’t take any solid measure to secure the rights of Karachiites,” Rehman said. He remarked that the MQM-P was supporting those who had notified fake results of the recent census that halved the population of Karachi in official papers. The JI leader also accused the MQM-P of being a part of the mafia that had ruined Karachi.

Rehman also spoke on the delayed K-IV water supply project and reminded Prime Minister Imran Khan of his claims in connection with the well-being of the nation. “The JI is the future of the country in general and Karachi in particular,” he stated.

JI Karachi Deputy Emir Osama Razi said inflation and unemployment had made the lives of the people miserable. “The situation has come to an extent that people have to stage protest for their basic rights. People are being compelled to commit suicide out of desperation,”

he said.

He urged the public to join the path of political struggle to secure their basic rights, instead of taking wrong decisions. He held the capitalists, feudal lords, and civil and military bureaucracy responsible for the prevailing situation.

JI Karachi Secretary General Munim Zaffar and minority wing leader Younus Sohan also addressed the demonstration. A large number of the JI supporters and residents from various parts of the city attended the protest. The protesters carried placards and banners against the prevailing economic policies, and chanted slogans against the rising inflation. They also chanted slogans against the interest-based economic system.