Wheel-Jam, Train March If Govt Lacks Seriousness in Talks: Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman

Lahore, Sep 06: Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman has warned that if the government fails to show genuine intent to provide relief to the public during negotiations, the JI will expand its protests, execute a nationwide wheel-jam strike, and launch a train march to mobilize the masses.

Addressing a sit-in outside the Chief Minister House in Lahore, he asserted that Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz’s recent provincialist statement reflects the mindset of her father, Nawaz Sharif, adding that neither the PML-N nor the PPP can fool the nation using regional or provincial rhetoric.

The sit-in in Lahore, alongside similar protests in Karachi and Peshawar, entered its 22nd day, with ongoing demonstrations across Hyderabad, Sukkur, Interior Sindh, and Chitral against rising electricity costs and the petroleum levy. Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman criticized the Punjab government for privatizing thousands of schools and primary health centers while neglecting teachers, doctors, and small farmers. He noted that the state of agriculture in Punjab has severely declined, with growth dropping sharply, as ruling elites profit alongside sugar mill mafias by acquiring cheap sugarcane and wheat at the expense of local producers.

Highlighting provincial political dynamics, the JI chief said the Sharif family was playing a regional card in Punjab while the PPP was trying to mislead the people in Sindh. He said that the PPP usurped the mayoral mandate in Karachi with powerful backing despite losing the election, stressing that dynastic ruling parties continue to monopolize national resources.

The gathering was also addressed by JI Vice Emir Dr. Osama Razi and Lahore Emir Zia-ud-Din Ansari. Prominent leaders in attendance included Vice Emir Liaqat Baloch, Deputy Secretary Sheikh Usman Farooq, Punjab Central Emir Javed Kasuri, Lahore Secretary Azhar Bilal, and Central Information Secretary Shakil Ahmed Turabi, alongside a large contingent of women protesters led by Acting Women's Secretary Samina Saeed.

Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman confirmed that JI has finalized a set of actionable economic proposals, including the abolition of the petroleum levy, to present to the government negotiation team in Islamabad. He stated that if the government rejects these measures, the party will take its proposals directly to the public and potentially launch a movement to topple the government..