Hafiz Naeemur Rahman Announces Protest in Islamabad Against High Taxes and Expensive Electricity

Hafiz Naeemur Rahman, the head of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), announced a protest in Islamabad on July 12. The protest is against high taxes and expensive electricity, part of the ‘Haq Do Awam Ko’ (give rights to the masses) movement.

Rahman criticized the government’s tax-heavy Finance Bill 2024, which was approved by President Asif Ali Zardari. He stated that the bill burdens salaried classes while exempting landowners and the elite. Rahman said, “The government and the ruling classes are not ready to abandon their perks and privileges but have no problems pushing the nation into greater difficulty.”

He added that the party’s leadership decided to hold a grand rally in Islamabad on July 12 after consultation. The protest aims to decrease electricity bills and taxes. Rahman also mentioned that 119% of professionals had left the country compared to the previous year due to economic issues. He appealed to traders, industrialists, and the salaried class to join the movement.