ISLAMABAD: Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, the chief of the Jamaat-e-Islami party which has been holding a sit-in in the garrison city of Rawalpindi against inflation and high electricity costs, on Wednesday threatened to launch a civil disobedience movement if the government did not meet its demands.
Around 3,000 supporters of the religious political party, demanding that the government withdraw taxes on electricity to offset price hikes, have occupied a road in Rawalpindi since July 26, after being prevented by police from heading to the capital, Islamabad.
Several rounds of talks have been held between a government negotiating team and protest leaders but there has been no breakthrough so far.
“Our sit-in protest is continuing and we will march tomorrow [Aug. 8] on Murree Road [Rawalpindi], on Aug. 11 we will stage a sit-in protest outside the Chief Minister’s House in Lahore, on Aug. 12 we will protest in Peshawar, on Aug. 16 we will also hold a sit-in protest in Multan,” Rehman told reporters on Wednesday.
“We also have the option to call a strike. And if they [the government] still don’t change after all this, we also have the option to peacefully appeal to the people to not pay electricity bills. We don’t want things to get to that point.”
The government raised power prices 26 percent during the last fiscal year, which ended June 30, before tacking on another 20 percent increase on July 13. Officials say the increases were needed to meet conditions set by the International Monetary Fund for a $7 billion loan deal reached last month.
The government has also added a confusing bevy of taxes on top of the base price, adding up to a bill that has more than doubled for some Pakistanis.
“Striking is our democratic right, that we appeal to the people to peacefully shut down their businesses,” Rehman said. “Already they [government] have led to the collapse of people’s businesses.
Pakistani party holding protests against inflation threatens civil disobedience, new sit-ins
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Pakistani party holding protests against inflation threatens civil disobedience, new sit-ins
- Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, chief of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, says will appeal to people not to pay electricity bills
- Around 3,000 supporters of the Jamaat-e-Islami have occupied a road in the garrison city of Rawalpindi since July 26
Pakistan signals commitment to regulate digital assets in meeting with Binance leadership
- Binance delegation led by CEO Richard Teng meets Pakistan’s prime minister, army chief in Islamabad
- Pakistan has attempted to tap into growing crypto market to curb illicit transactions, improve oversight
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government has signaled its “strong commitment” to digital asset regulation as the country’s senior officials met the leadership of Binance, one of the world’s most prominent global cryptocurrency exchanges, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Saturday.
The Binance team, led by its Chief Executive Officer Richard Teng, is in Pakistan and has held meetings with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) Chairman Bilal bin Saqib and senior Pakistani bank officials this week.
Pakistan has been attempting to regulate its fast-growing crypto and digital assets market by bringing virtual asset service providers (VASPs) under a formal licensing regime. Officials say the push is aimed at curbing illicit transactions, improving oversight and encouraging innovation in blockchain-based financial services.
“Binance senior leadership visits Pakistan as government signals strong commitment to digital asset regulation,” the PMO said.
A Binance delegation led by Teng met Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir in Islamabad.
Saqib also attended the meeting and gave the Binance team a briefing about his organization.
Pakistan has attempted in recent months to tap into the country’s growing crypto market, a move analysts say could bring an estimated $25 billion in virtual assets into the tax net.
In September, Islamabad invited international crypto exchanges and other VASPs to apply for licenses to operate in the country, a step aimed at formalizing and regulating its fast-growing digital market.
