JI protests high electricity costs, loadshedding

LAHORE: The Jamaat-i-Islami has organised protest demonstrations in front of the offices of power distribution companies against the high cost of electricity and prolonged load shedding.

These protests, held at the call of JI Amir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman, marked the second countrywide agitation following the commencement of the first phase of a peaceful national resistance movement.On June 23, the JI had held rallies against the anti-people budget and inflation. A large number of people had participated in the rallies across major cities, including Lahore, Rawalpindi-Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Faisalabad, and Multan. The demonstrators voiced their discontent with the IPP agreements, inflated bills, and load shedding. The JI leaders addressed the rallies, demanding the government review agreements with the Independent Power Producers (IPPs), terming these agreements the main reason behind costly electricity.

They said the government had failed to improve the transmission system and stop rampant corruption in the power sector. They claimed that power companies were consistently overbilling to cover power theft, which occurred under the protection of corrupt officials.

They said that urban and rural areas are suffering from severe load shedding and that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s claims about ending load shedding proved to be a pack of lies.According to details, JI Secretary General Amirul Azim led the protest in front of the Lahore Electric Supply Company's (Lesco) head office.

A large number of people and JI local leadership participated. Speaking on the occasion, Amirul Azim said the government had imposed massive taxes on the direction of the IMF, burdening the poor people of Pakistan.

He said the poor nation was paying billions of rupees to IPPs because of the agreements signed with them by corrupt rulers, and he noted that the majority of the IPP owners belonged to the ruling elite.

He said the JI has already rejected the budget and will not remain silent until the government provides relief to the masses. He demanded the government abolish the agreements with the IPPs and end all the taxes imposed on utility bills.