Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has announced a countrywide protest campaign, declaring sit-ins across Pakistan on December 21 to press for the transfer of political, financial and administrative powers to local governments.
Addressing a press conference, JI chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman said that sit-ins would be held at all divisional and headquarters levels across the country. He stated that the primary objective of the protests is to force governments to devolve authority to local bodies, which he described as a constitutional and democratic right.
Criticising the Punjab Local Government Act, Hafiz Naeem termed it “a stain on democracy,” alleging that provincial governments fear empowered leadership at the grassroots level. He said the act was designed to weaken local governance and amounted to the “capture and mockery of democracy.”
He added that political, financial and administrative powers must be transferred to elected local representatives, accusing provincial governments of retaining control of departments under the pretext of governance reforms. He pointed out that Punjab last held local government elections in 2015, highlighting prolonged delays in the democratic process.
Referring to Lahore, Hafiz Naeem said the government was reluctant even to grant metropolitan status to the city, fearing that an empowered mayor could challenge the authority of the chief minister. He stressed that after provincial autonomy, local governments should have been strengthened, but this was never implemented.
The JI chief also raised concerns over rising inflation, claiming that wheat had been pushed into repeated crises and flour prices continued to surge. He further alleged that poverty had increased since the launch of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).
He announced that the sit-ins on December 21 would also outline Jamaat-e-Islami’s future course of action.
Meanwhile, a Jamaat-e-Islami spokesperson said that 13 protest sit-ins would be staged across Karachi against traffic accidents, e-challans, heavy vehicle-related fatalities and deteriorating infrastructure. The protests are scheduled to begin at 4pm on major city arteries.
According to the spokesperson, sit-ins will be held at key locations including Star Gate on Shahrah-e-Faisal, MA Jinnah Road, University Road, Dawood Chowrangi, Korangi Crossing, Tibet Centre, Power House Chowrangi, Hub River Road, Pracha Chowk Sher Shah, Hyderi North Nazimabad, Liaquatabad No.10, Sohrab Goth and Orangi Town No.5.
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