Hafiz Naeem warns against using new provinces issue to create ethnic divisions

LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Tuesday urged power corridors not to use the issue of new provinces to create divisions among the people, calling for a grand dialogue on the matter.

He warned that his party could call a nationwide strike if the government did not withdraw the recent increase in petrol prices.

The JI’s sit-ins against the petroleum levy were continuing for a third consecutive day in Lahore, Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar.

Addressing a press conference at the site of the Jamaat-e-Islami’s ongoing protest against the petroleum levy in Lahore, Hafiz Naeem said the government had increased the price of petrol by another Rs5 overnight.

He said the increase should be withdrawn immediately, otherwise the Jamaat-e-Islami would announce a nationwide strike.

Speaking about the debate over the creation of new provinces, Hafiz Naeem said the issue should not be used to create divisions among the people, saying that attempts to pit Sindhis against Muhajirs would only harm the country.

He called for a grand dialogue on the creation of new provinces, saying the Jamaat-e-Islami was not opposed to administrative units but believed that any new provinces should be created in accordance with the Constitution.

He questioned why Bahawalpur had not been made a province despite the passage of a resolution in this regard.

Read more: Sharjeel Memon says PPP and Sindh’s stance unchanged on ‘provinces’

The JI chief criticised the PPP, PML-N and Muttahida Qaumi Movement, alleging that they lacked political independence and could resolve the new province issue after receiving only three telephone calls.

Hafiz Naeem said the best solution to governance and public problems was the establishment of empowered local governments.

He said local government elections had not been held in Punjab since 2015, while local elections in Sindh were held after a six-year gap and the ruling parties had carried out delimitation according to their own preferences.

He blamed the PML-N and PPP for what he described as the country’s current problems, alleging that the two parties had introduced the 26th and 27th constitutional amendments to serve their political interests.