JI will join traders in a strike against electricity bills and inflation on August 28

KARACHI – Pakistani Minister for Islamic Movement (JI) Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Saturday said the government has 36 days left to implement the agreement in letter and spirit to provide comprehensive relief to the nation. The JI chief expressed this view while addressing a press conference at Idara Noor-e-Haq, the JI headquarters in Karachi. He was accompanied by Chief Minister Monem Zafar and other JI Karachi leaders including Saifuddin Advocate, Taufiquddin Siddiqui, Zahid Askari and Imran Shahid. Speaking on the occasion, Engr Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said the JI would hold a strike along with traders on August 28 against the increased electricity bills and inflation.

He said the Punjab government announced the relief under pressure from JI with the help of the masses and sustained activism. He said the people of Punjab would get relief of Rs 28 per unit for the two months. He added that the issue needs to be addressed on a permanent basis. He made it clear that the relief should benefit the people across the country. If Punjab can announce relief, other provinces can too, he said. Talking about Sindh province in particular, he said the provincial budget is three trillion, of which Rs 1,885 billion or nearly 62 percent comes from the federal government. In this backdrop, the Pakistan Peoples Party government in Sindh can easily spare a few billion to provide relief to the masses, he said. The JI leader also reminded the PPP regime in Sindh of the promise of providing 100 units of free electricity made by its leadership during the election campaign.