JI’s referendum on ‘unjust’ charges in power bills starts today

karachi: Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has said that his party’s referendum on electricity bills that include “irrelevant and unjust” charges will represent the will of the people of the city, following which the JI will devise its strategy accordingly.

Addressing a news conference on Thursday, Rehman said that the three-day referendum will commence on Friday (today), and that the JI’s next course of action will be announced afterwards.

He said that the referendum will be held outside mosques in the city after the Friday prayers. The referendum will also take place at educational institutes, markets and other public places, while online platforms will also be used to engage the masses for the three-day vote, he added.

The JI leader said that all segments of society, including religious scholars, lawyers, traders, industrialists and labourers, will be approached in connection with the referendum. He said his party will fight for the rights of the people of the city inside the courts and on the streets.

All available forums and options under the ambit of the law and the constitution will be utilised, he added. Talking about the demands of the people, Rehman said that Karachiites want the municipality charges and “fake” fuel adjustment charges removed from their electricity bills.

He demanded that the government force K-Electric to pay Rs50 billion, which the utility had held under the head of clawback, to its consumers. He also demanded that the government revoke the licence of KE over its grave violations of the agreement signed between the state and the utility.

He said that the JI has also been demanding a forensic audit of KE’s accounts in order to unearth the “discrepancies” by the “shady” company’s management. The JI leader also shed light on the issues pertaining to the flood-affected people as well as the local government in Karachi. He said that it seems the word ‘local government’ creates unrest among the high-ups of the Pakistan Peoples Party’s Sindh government.

He demanded that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) take notice of the remarks of the Sindh chief minister and other leaders of the ruling party in connection with the basic democratic rights of the people of Karachi.

He said that the local government elections are the need of the hour to address the burning issues of the people of the city. He also demanded that the ECP hold the local government elections on October 16 and the by-elections afterwards.

Rehman expressed his grave concerns over the rising lawlessness and street crime incidents in Karachi. He said that the police department and other law enforcement agencies have failed against crimes and criminals in the city.

Talking about the flood-affected people, he said that several outbreaks of diseases have erupted in the relief camps. The JI chief said that the flood-affected people are enduring a very bad situation but the role of the provincial government is limited to lip service.