Labourers join JI’s sit-in against excessive taxes, electricity charges

Labourers on Thursday joined the Jamaat-e-Islami’s sit-in against excessive taxes, electricity charges, inflation and independent power producers (IPPs), demanding that the government remove the capacity charges of IPPs, reduce the power tariffs and provide necessary facilities to the masses.

A labourers’ convention was organised by the National Labour Federation at the JI’s sit-in venue at the Sindh Governor House. JI Karachi General Secretary Taufiquddin Siddiqui said during the convention that the prevailing situation has ruined the lower and middle classes, while the salaried class has been the most affected.

Siddiqui pointed out on the occasion that the salaried class pays Rs360 billion in taxes, compared to the mere Rs5 billion paid by feudal lords. He said that there are a total of 106 IPPs, out of which none is producing electricity to its full capacity, with around 85 per cent of them generating less than 50 per cent of their capacity.

He also said that three of them are paid billions of rupees against zero unit electricity just in the name of capacity charges. He stressed the need to address the issue of gas and electricity bills.

Labour leaders Khalid Khan and Zahid Askari among others spoke at the convention. They urged their fellows to stand firm on the path of resistance against injustice and tyranny. They announced unconditional support for the JI and the party’s demands from the government.

Addressing the media at the sit-in, JI Karachi Emir Munem Zafar announced intensifying the protest campaign in the city, with over 1,000 protests to be held outside different mosques after the Friday prayers, along with the continuation of the sit-in outside the Governor House.

Zafar said that a campaign would also be run to further mobilise the masses in the city. In this regard, door-to-door contact and an awareness drive will be initiated, he added. He reiterated the demand to scrap the “unjust” contracts with IPPs, stressing the need for immediately providing relief to the salaried class. He said the JI became the largest party of Karachi in the local government elections, while it bagged over 800,000 votes in the general elections.

He pointed out that the JI’s rising popularity is difficult for their political and ideological opponents to digest so they make offensive remarks. However, he stressed, the JI’s struggle would continue. He hoped that the ongoing movement would produce positive results for the nation.

A day earlier, the JI hinted at expanding the protest to the Chief Minister House or Sharea Faisal. An Ulema convention was the major event of the day at the sit-in on Wednesday, bringing the religious scholars onboard against the government over the soaring electricity bills in the country. The convention at the sit-in was organised by the Jamiat Ittehad Ulema.

Jamiat Ittehad Ulema Karachi head Maulana Abdul Waheed in his speech praised the JI leadership for its activism for the rights of people and assured the leadership of full cooperation on the part of religious scholars. He said that among other segments of the society, mosques and religious seminaries were also targeted by the government.