JI chief calls Maryam-Bilawal exchanges ‘political theater’

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) leader Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Thursday termed the recent exchange of allegations between Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari as “political theater”, saying the two parties were exposing each other over Form 47 issues.

Addressing a press conference at the JI headquarters at Mansoora in Lahore, he referred to the recent statements of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and PPP leaders regarding the elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and said the allegations exchanged by the two sides raised questions about the electoral process.

He said he also had reservations about the results in Karachi and the general elections.

Commenting on the current political situation, Rehman said that the PML-N, PPP and other parties which were part of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) had lost public trust.

Read: AJK assembly passes resolution demanding truth commission on recent unrest

Criticizing the performance of the Punjab government, he questioned claims calling it a model administration and cited issues such as the flour crisis, outsourcing of government schools and protests by doctors, nurses and teachers.

Faced with numerous problems facing the people, Rehman said the government’s attempts to prevent the party’s planned nationwide protest on August 7 would be unconstitutional, adding that the protest would go ahead as planned. He said the next phase of the movement would also be announced on the same day.

The JI Emir further said that Pakistan was facing security and economic crises, adding that the government had failed to resolve both.

He said inflation had become a “major concern” for households, while rising electricity, gas and water tariffs had further increased the burden on citizens.

Criticizing the recent increase in oil prices and taxes, Rehman noted that the government’s own data showed that nearly 30 million motorcycles were used by students, workers and middle-income families, but additional taxes were imposed on them.

“Trillions of rupees have been collected through oil tax, including 1.9 trillion rupees in the past year,” the JI chief claimed.

He also claimed that more than 40% of Pakistan’s population lived below the poverty line and around 27.5 million children were out of school.

He lamented that rising prices of diesel and gasoline were having a negative impact on farmers, transporters and other sectors of the economy.

Learn more: Mushtaq Ahmad announces Kashmir solidarity rally in Islamabad for Friday

The JI chief said it was the government’s responsibility to revive the economy instead of shifting the financial burden to the public and urged authorities to cut official spending, abolish costly government vehicle subsidies and end what he described as lavish privileges enjoyed by top officials and the bureaucracy.

Calling for broad public participation in the August 7 nationwide protest, he urged lawyers, teachers, doctors, students and other professionals to join the protests.

“The protests would take place across the country, from Karachi to Khyber, and only ambulances would be allowed to ply the protest route.”

He reiterated that JI believed in peaceful protests within the law.

The JI emir said his party was not advocating “political agreements” but remained open to dialogue with the government, warning that the protest movement would continue if public grievances remained unresolved.

He also expressed concern over the law and order situation in the southern and border districts of Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Rehman called on the government to ensure peace, stability and public security across the country.

He also expressed the party’s solidarity with the Iranian people.

Separately, JI also shared a post on X, in which its leader slammed his political opponents for ignoring the loss of lives in AJK.

“In Kashmir, our citizens are dying, shootouts are happening and people are falling dead while Maryam and Bilawal are fighting for the scraps thrown at them through Form 47.”