RAWALPINDI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on Sunday announced that it will continue its ongoing anti-inflation sit-in in Rawalpindi, after holding the first round of talks with the government delegation. This was announced by the party’s Naib Amir, Liaquat Baloch.
The first round of talks between the JI delegation and the government team took place at the Rawalpindi Commissioner Office, where the three-member government team included Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Amir Muqam, and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry.
Liaqat Baloch described the meeting as having been conducted in a “pleasant environment,” noting that while the JI presented their demands, the government pledged to establish a technical team to address these issues.
“We have laid out our demands clearly. The government has committed to setting up a technical team to review them,” Baloch told reporters. He said that the sit-in is aimed at alleviating the hardships faced by the inflation-stricken populace rather than advancing any political agenda.
The JI’s demands include a 50% reduction in electricity bills, termination of agreements with Independent Power Producers (IPPs), elimination of the petroleum levy, rollback of recent price hikes, and reduced taxes on the salaried class. They are also calling for a 20% reduction in essential commodity prices, a 35% cut in non-developmental expenditures, and tax relief for agriculture and industry.
The protest, which has now entered its third day, has seen participants endure challenging weather conditions, including heavy rainfall. Despite these hardships, the protesters have remained resilient. They have set up a container stage and are provided with basic necessities to continue the demonstration.
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Baloch further noted that the JI has submitted a list of 35 persons who were arrested during the protest, most of whom have since been released. He assured that the sit-in will continue until their demands are fully addressed.
The JI negotiating team, led by Liaquat Baloch and comprising Amirul Azeem, Syed Farast Shah, and Nasrullah Randhawa, is scheduled to meet with the government’s negotiating committee for a second round of talks. The party’s leadership, including Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman, has urged the government to address the issues promptly.
This meeting will focus on the government’s technical review and further negotiation on the party’s demands.
Federal Information Minister Atta Tarar said that the government is keen to resolve the issues through dialogue and emphasized the importance of not prolonging the negotiations.
