10 million children in Punjab still out of school despite CM’s lavish spending: Hafiz Naeem

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister has purchased an aircraft worth Rs11 billion, while poverty in the province has increased by 31 percent, Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman, chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, said while criticizing the provincial government’s spending priorities, ARY News reported.

Addressing a gathering, Hafiz Naeem alleged that instead of focusing on real development, public money collected through taxes is being spent on advertisements.

“There is no real development in Punjab; advertisements are being run with taxpayers’ money,” he said.

The Jamaat-e-Islami chief claimed that poverty has increased the most in Punjab, adding that nearly 10 million children in the province are still out of school.

“From the outside it appears as if rivers of milk are flowing in Punjab, but the ground reality is very different,” he said.

Hafiz Naeem said education is a constitutional right, but it has been pushed into a class-based system, depriving many children of access to proper schooling.

He further criticized the government for failing to empower local government institutions, saying those in power are unwilling to devolve authority to grassroots levels.

“Building a few roads does not solve the problems of the people,” he added.

The Jamaat-e-Islami leader also criticized the lifestyle of the ruling elite, claiming that the luxuries of the rulers continue despite rising poverty.

Referring to the power sector, he said billions of rupees are paid annually to Independent Power Producers (IPPs) even when electricity is not generated.

Hafiz Naeem also expressed hope for political change, saying that just as conditions have changed in countries like Palestine, Morocco, and Egypt, the situation in Pakistan will also change.