Says the unity between traders and nation paid off, vows to continue struggle.
KARACHI - Karachi wore a deserted look as the citizens in general and the traders community in particular observed a shutter down strike, here on Wednesday, called by Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan Ameer Engr Hafiz Naeemur Rehman.
The country wide strike was aimed at reduction of electricity prices, revision of agreements with the Independent Power Producers (IPPs), withdrawal of unjust taxation and immediate relief for salaried class as well as traders.
The JI had called for the strike after consultation with traders bodies across the country. It was a part of the party’s fierce campaign against unjust taxation, tilted agreements with IPPs and for the rights of people. Not only all the major markets and arteries but the shops and local markets in neighborhoods were also kept closed.
Later in the day, JI Karachi Ameer Monem Zafar along with representatives of traders held a media talk in Saddar market, thanking the traders and other segments of the society.
On the occasion, he said that the strike would mark the commencement of a new era in the history of rights movements. He said that the strike was a referendum against the government over its policies and no rocket science was required to ascertain about the results. Basically, Karachiites have rejected the ruling regime over its policies in power, local bodies and other sectors, he added.
Following today’s strike, he said, the government will have to read the future and bowed down before the just demands by the nation. Otherwise, he warned, the strike would play the role of the first drop of rain.
He highlighted the Tajir Dost Scheme and other injustices against the traders. On the occasion, he reiterated all the demands by the party against injustice on part of the government. He hailed the unity between traders community and the nation for the successful strike across the country. He also thanked professionals and students and other segments of the society for their participation in the strike.
The JI leader further said that the salaried class paid Rs360 billion tax against only around Rs4 billion tax by feudal lords. He added that the taxpayers not only suffered load shedding but also paid billions of rupees to those IPPs who hadn’t produced even a single unit, yet received the amount in the name of capacity charges. States can’t run like that, he said. He asked the party members to gear up for the next phase of the rights movement.
Meanwhile, Munim Zafar Khan, Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi, commended the business community for their strong response to the rulers’ policies, asserting that their unified strike demonstrated the government’s vulnerability.
Speaking to media in Karachi, Zafar Khan highlighted the effectiveness of the shutter-down strike, which he claimed showed that the business and industrial sectors reject the government’s destructive policies. He emphasized that the widespread business closures across Pakistan’s commercial centers signify a united stand against policies such as the export tax and the so-called trader-enemy scheme. Zafar Khan congratulated Karachi’s residents for their participation, reinforcing the Jamaat-e-Islami’s commitment to opposing unfavorable policies and continuing the movement until their demands are met.