LAHORE, September 6, 2026: Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Ameer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has criticised the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Sharif family, saying the PPP wants Sindh while the Sharif family wants Punjab, ARY News reported.
Addressing the ongoing sit-in, he said the PPP had no connection with the geography of Sindh and was only involved in looting. Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said the worst feudal system existed in Sindh, where people were not even allowed to live freely.
“Anyone who speaks against a feudal lord in Sindh is killed,” he said.
Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said slogans for Sindhu Desh would not work, adding that there was only one Pakistan. He urged political parties to discuss provincial issues but not create divisions among the people.
He said people wanted freedom because they were not being provided jobs and employment opportunities.
The JI chief said people had voted for Jamaat-e-Islami to get out of the 40-year-old system of the MQM and PPP. He alleged that the PPP had seized the mayor’s office through a “surprise attack” and crushed the people’s opinion.
“When someone speaks about their rights, they start talking about ethnicity,” he said.
Hafiz Naeemur Rehman also accused Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz of using the Punjab card. He said the entire country was one unit and vowed that they would jointly defeat the “oppressors”.
He said Jamaat-e-Islami workers were peaceful and were not sitting in protests for their personal interests. “If our sit-ins are causing you trouble, we will increase them,” he warned.
He said negotiations with the government would be held the next day and the party would present its proposals. If the talks were serious, the matter could move forward, otherwise he would call for a wheel-jam strike.
He also announced that Jamaat-e-Islami would hold a train march and organise public gatherings across different cities.
On sugar prices, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said the government was allowing sugar exports. He alleged that mafias had first imported sugar and would now make money by exporting it.
He said wheat, sugar and IPP mafias were “squeezing the blood” of the people, alleging that Rs1,700 billion was being paid to IPPs.
According to Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, Jamaat-e-Islami’s sit-in had provided people relief of up to Rs16 per unit in electricity bills. He said electricity was still expensive and had to be made cheaper.
“Pakistan cannot progress with expensive electricity and expensive petrol,” he said.
Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said the issues of other political parties were not the issues of the public. He said reducing interest rates by 3% could save Rs1,500 billion.
He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had promised to end the curse of interest but had failed to do so. He suggested gradually reducing interest so that people could receive relief.
The JI chief also criticised facilities provided to the bureaucracy, saying officers were given houses spread over several kanals, large bungalows and big vehicles along with free petrol.
He said even a senior officer should not be provided with an official vehicle larger than 1,300cc. “Keep your personal vehicle as big as you want, but the government vehicle should be small,” he said.
Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said women were forced to travel in rickshaws and face difficulties.
He reiterated that if negotiations failed, Jamaat-e-Islami would call for a wheel-jam strike and shut down petrol pumps, shops and vehicles across the country.
“If the government still does not agree, we will launch a movement to bring down the government,” he said.
