Hafiz Muhammad Naeem Announces Nationwide Sit-In to Lower Electricity Prices in Pakistan
Hafiz Muhammad Naeem, the chief of Pakistan’s Jamaat-e-Islami, announced a nationwide sit-in on September 29 to demand lower electricity prices. This is part of the ‘Haq do Awam ko’ movement aimed at providing public relief.
The government had signed a written agreement with the party, promising to address their demands within 45 days, but the deadline has now passed. As a result, Hafiz Naeem announced the next phase of the movement.
The sit-ins will be held across major highways in Pakistan. From October 1 to 7, the party plans to express solidarity with the people of Palestine and Lebanon. After that, the movement will transition into a resistance campaign.
Hafiz Naeem also stated that from October 23 to 27, they will seek public opinion on whether to stop paying electricity bills if the prices remain high.
Earlier on September 7, Rehman issued a warning to the government, stating that they will be held accountable if the ‘Rawalpindi Agreement’ is not implemented. He added that Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif must not complain about the party’s actions if the agreement does not materialize.
Rehman said that the public will not bear the burden of taxes and rules imposed by Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and rulers. He mentioned consultations with business communities about a 3-day nationwide strike. Rehman added that due to his party’s efforts, the government of Pakistan’s Punjab reduced power taxes and emphasized that the actual cost of electricity must be uniformly implemented across all states in Pakistan.
Doubts Revealed
Hafiz Muhammad Naeem -: Hafiz Muhammad Naeem is a leader in Pakistan. He is the chief of a political party called Jamaat-e-Islami.
Nationwide Sit-In -: A nationwide sit-in is when people all over the country sit down in public places to protest. They do this to show they are unhappy about something, like high electricity prices.
Electricity Prices -: Electricity prices are the amount of money people have to pay for using electricity. If the prices are high, it means people have to pay a lot of money.
Pakistan -: Pakistan is a country in South Asia, next to India. It has many people and cities, and its capital is Islamabad.
Jamaat-e-Islami -: Jamaat-e-Islami is a political party in Pakistan. They work to make changes in the government and help people.
Haq do Awam ko -: ‘Haq do Awam ko’ means ‘Give the people their rights’ in Urdu. It is a movement to help people get what they need, like lower electricity prices.
Solidarity with Palestine and Lebanon -: Showing solidarity means supporting others. Palestine and Lebanon are countries in the Middle East, and the party is showing they care about the people there.
Public Opinion -: Public opinion is what most people think about something. The party wants to know if people agree with not paying electricity bills if the prices stay high.