Jamaat-e-Islami Lahore Chief Ziauddin Ansari. Photo: Meta/file
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Lahore chief Ziauddin Ansari on Saturday condemned the reported baton charge and arrests of citizens in the provincial capital demonstrating peacefully in support of Kashmiris presenting their demands to the government.
The statement came against the backdrop of a host of community organisations staging a protest at Shimla Pahari Chowk in Lahore on Friday afternoon to express solidarity with the honest demands of the Kashmiris, which was met with force. During the administration’s retaliation, many citizens were arrested by the police and the protesters were dispersed. Tomorrow, Kashmiris are set to participate in the second phase of Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections to be held in Muzaffarabad Division and the 12 refugee constituencies.
Addressing a press conference at the Syed Maududi Islamic Centre in Lahore, Ansari criticised what he described as the use of force against demonstrators and said peaceful expression of solidarity with Kashmiris should not be suppressed.
He said the issue should be “resolved through political dialogue” and through recognition of the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.
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The JI leader also announced a week-long protest campaign against the petroleum levy, describing it as an “unjust and unbearable tax” that had increased the financial burden on people already struggling with inflation.
He said the campaign would run from August 1 (today) and culminate in a nationwide wheel-jam strike on August 7.
Outlining the schedule, Ansari said a motorcycle awareness rally would be held today in Johar Town, followed by a march initiated from Kahna on Sunday ending with a sit-in at Shanghai Bridge. He detailed that another sit-in has been planned at Muslim Town Mor on August 6, while public outreach activities will continue across Lahore’s neighbourhoods, markets, educational institutions and other public places until August 7.
The JI Lahore chief appealed to the citizens, including students, transporters, delivery riders and labourers, to participate in the party’s peaceful and constitutional protest against rising fuel prices and inflation.
He urged the government not to obstruct demonstrations.
“Jamaat-e-Islami believes in peaceful and democratic political struggle,” he added.
Ansari warned that if protesters were prevented from demonstrating peacefully or party workers were subjected to violence, the government would bear the brunt of consequences.
Read more: Kashmir’s future should be decided by the people of Kashmir: Bilawal
Addressing the party workers, the JI leader criticised the federal government’s economic policies and alleged that repeated increases in the petroleum levy were being used to shift the burden of revenue shortfalls onto the public.
Citing current international petroleum prices, he grilled the government for the unjustified fuel prices.
“Why are the fuel prices high when several ministers have acknowledged that sufficient petroleum stocks are available in the country?” he asked during the presser.
Ansari demanded the immediate abolition of the petroleum levy, a reduction in petroleum prices and relief measures for consumers.
