he busy Murree Road of Rawalpindi, just outside Liaquat Bagh, remains blocked and crowded because of the weeklong sit-in by the Jamaat-i-Islami. The JI protestors have gathered to seek relief against high electricity prices, high petroleum prices, and the higher taxes on the salaried class.

The JI had initially announced a sit-in at D Chowk, Islamabad, in front of the parliament. However, after the administration did not allow the party to enter Islamabad and all roads leading to the capital were blocked, the JI shifted its protest to Murree Road in Rawalpindi.

A big stage on Murree Road, carrying a huge banner, remains full in the evenings as party leaders address the workers.

“I don’t consider it as a JI sit-in. It is a common cause. I also go to the place for an hour and sit for the issue. This concerns all of us,” Muhammad Ali, a shopkeeper in Rawalpindi tells The News on Sunday.

JI emir Hafiz Naeem-ur Rehman, addressing a large rally the other day said, that the party was committed to the cause and would not leave the protest site without an official announcement of relief by the government. “Otherwise, we will expand the sit-in to other cities,” he said. “The protestors are committed to the cause – to get relief for the masses – and will not leave Islamabad without getting due relief,” he said. “We want relief for the people with a reduction in electricity bills. We want the capacity payments to power companies abolished.”

JI also mobilised traders in Lahore and other cities and has plans for strikes, including a shutters-down strike, over the coming days to press for some relief in electricity bills.

The federal government, through a ministerial committee, engaged the JI in talks but those remained inconclusive. The committee also rejected several demands out of hand.

The main demands of the JI are a relief in taxes included in the electricity bills; at least Rs 10 per unit relief for domestic consumers and Rs 15 for commercial consumers; an end to ‘unwarranted’ perks and privileges of senior bureaucrats; more tax on the ‘feudal class’ and less on salaried people; accountability of those named in global property leaks; abolition of tax slabs for the salaried class; an end to provision of free electricity to government officials and an end to load shedding; alterations to the federal budget; and abolition of capacity charges of the independent power producers.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s imprisoned leader Imran Khan too has spoken in support of the JI cause and urged the party leadership and workers to join the sit-in.

Rehman, the new JI chief, was elected in April this year. Some party workers believe that this move to highlight popular issues will revive the party and make it more relevant in national politics. Some workers also say this will secure some political space for the party.

The JI chief has already indicated that this is only the first phase in their movement. He has said that there will be more campaigns for public issues.

“We are consulting traders, industrialists, and the civil society and urging them to consider the option of not paying the electricity bills for August. We fear that these might be bigger even than the July bills,” the JI chief said in a speech recently.

“We also want an end to the petroleum levy, assured availability of food at reasonable rates and reduction in taxes on traders and exporters,” he stated. “The IPPs are sucking the blood of the masses. There must be an immediate and fair audit.”

“The JI has come up with a populist agenda to create some political space for itself. The party has been lagging behind for several years. The new chief is trying to create a new momentum and spirit in the party,” said Muhammad Aslam, a worker present at the sit-in.

“This is a popular agenda. Every government wants to provide maximum relief to its people. That is why we are sitting down with the JI and trying to find some solution that works for everyone,” said Engr Amir Muqam, the federal minister who is a part of the negotiating committee.

The writer is a staff member. He tweets at @waqargillani