ISLAMABAD: Protest caravans of a Pakistani religious party entered the federal capital on Friday, planning to stage a sit-in against the rising cost of living and additional taxes imposed in the latest budget presented last month, as the government formed a negotiation committee to engage with its leadership.
The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) party, led by Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, announced the sit-in in Islamabad to forcefully call for a reduction in the power tariff amid soaring inflation and to review Pakistan’s agreements with independent power producers.
The party’s caravans entered the capital from different directions, as the district administration closed the Red Zone — a sensitive neighborhood of the city housing top government offices and the diplomatic enclave — with shipping containers and all other main routes leading to the Parliament House.
“We are ready for negotiations, but don’t disrupt public life,” Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said while addressing the situation in a news conference.
He said the government had formed a three-member committee to talk to the JI leadership, which included him and two senior members of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party.
“The government’s three-member committee will talk to you. Amir Muqam, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and I will negotiate with you,” he continued, naming two other members of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party.
“Whenever you express willingness, we are ready for the negotiations,” he added.
Meanwhile, JI’s spokesperson in Islamabad said the party would continue with its protest.
“Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman will be joining the sit-in at Zero Point shortly,” Aamir Baloch told Arab News, mentioning a major intersection in the city where various key roads and highways connect with each other.
He said thousands of JI workers had already reached the area to stage the sit-in despite the government’s “brutalities.”
“The police have arrested dozens of our peaceful workers from D-Chowk,” he said, referring to another spot in the city located near the parliament building. “The government wants to incite the peaceful protesters through such strong-arm tactics. It will be responsible for any law and order situation if our workers are not released immediately.”
Police in the capital have deployed additional contingents, including its personnel with riot gears, to prevent any untoward incident. The Rawalpindi-Islamabad Express Highway has also been closed with the shipping containers near the Zero Point bridge where the JI protesters have gathered.
Baloch said the party leadership would announce their agenda after reaching Zero Point.
“One thing is for sure,” he continued. “We are here to stay and will definitely stage a sit-in to press the government to meet our legitimate demands regarding inflation and taxes.”
Government forms negotiation committee as Islamabad faces sit-in by religious party over inflation
https://arab.news/y98qv
Government forms negotiation committee as Islamabad faces sit-in by religious party over inflation
- Jamaat-e-Islami workers have reached a key intersection in the federal capital to hold their demonstration
- They want the government to address the cost-of-living crisis, remove additional taxes in the federal budget
Pakistan engages Saudi Arabia, China in bid to ease surging Middle East tensions
- Pakistan’s foreign minister stresses need for de-escalation in conversations with Chinese, Saudi counterparts
- Tensions in the Middle East continue to remain high as conflict between US, Israel and Iran intensifies
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar spoke to the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and China on Tuesday, stressing the importance of diplomatic engagement to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East as the Iran war intensifies.
Pakistan has constantly engaged regional countries in efforts to broker a ceasefire in the Middle East, after the US and Isreal launched coordinated strikes against Iran on Feb. 28.
Iran launched fresh attacks on Gulf countries on Tuesday morning, where it has targeted US military bases in recent weeks. In addition to firing missiles and drones at Israel and American bases in the region, Iran has also been targeting energy infrastructure which, combined with its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, has sent oil prices soaring worldwide.
Dar spoke to Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to discuss developments in the Middle East and ongoing deliberations at the UN Security Council, Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement.
“DPM/FM shared Pakistan’s perspective, underscoring the importance of continued coordination and diplomatic engagement to support de-escalation and promote peace and stability across the region and beyond,” the statement said.
Dar, who also serves as Pakistan’s foreign minister, spoke to Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi over the telephone separately. The two discussed the evolving regional situation and broader global developments.
Dar underscored the need to ease tensions in the Middle East and the wider region during the conversation, the foreign office said.
Yi appreciated Pakistan’s constructive efforts aimed at promoting de-escalation and stability in the region, it added.
“The two leaders stressed the importance of de-escalation and emphasized the need to pursue dialogue and diplomacy in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter,” the foreign office’s statement said.
The conflict in the Middle East has hit Pakistan hard as well, forcing Islamabad to hike petrol and diesel prices by Rs55 per liter last Friday.
Pakistan’s government has also announced a set of austerity measures, which include closing schools and cutting down on government expenditures, as it evaluates petrol stocks and looks for alternative supply routes.
