Lesco staff ‘throws’ acidic substance at JI protesters

LAHORE:The Jamaat-i-Islami staged a sit-in in front of the Lesco headquarters Wednesday evening as part of its campaign against massive increase in power tariff and inclusion of various taxes in electricity bills.

A good number of slogan-chanting and banner-waving protesters led by Jamaat-i-Islami secretary-general Ameerul Azim gathered at a sit-in to protest the inhuman raise and demanded the government withdraw all the taxes from electricity bills.

The otherwise peaceful demonstration was marred by some miscreants from inside the Lesco office who threw some acidic substance on the protesters that irritated the eyes of dozens of them who were later shifted to Ganga Ram Hospital for treatment.

Addressing the protesters, Ameerul Azim announced the Jamaat-i-Islami would hold a sit-in in front of the headquarters of all distribution companies across the country in the next phase.Ameerul Azim said the Jamaat-i-Islami would continue fight for the public rights in street, plead their case in courts and put it before the parliament.

What was the justification for including GST, TV fee and income taxes in the electricity bills, he questioned, saying the government could no longer make the poor scapegoat under directions from the IMF.

Ameerul Azim demanded the rulers withdraw free electricity to their own bungalows, rest-houses and collect bills from bureaucracy and government servants instead of charging the masses.

Ameerul Azim said the government had multiplied the miseries of the people in months. Ameerul Azim demanded the Lesco officials handover to the police those who threw acidic substance at the peaceful protesters.

Ameerul Azim warned the Lesco administration of more sit-ins at the office if the culprits behind the incident were not arrested.Jamaat-i-Islami’s Lahore ameer Zikrullah Mujahid also spoke.