Lahore: Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman has announced to further intensify the ongoing protest against the levy imposed on petroleum products. Speaking on the 12th day of the sit-in in Lahore, he called for a nationwide shutter-down strike on September 3.
Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman said that the government must abolish the petroleum levy. According to him, if the demand is not accepted, Jamaat-e-Islami will further expand the scope of the protest.
He said that a march towards Islamabad can also be held before or after the shutter-down strike. However, he also linked the next phase of the protest to the government’s response.
Jamaat-e-Islami is holding sit-ins in different cities of the country against the prices and levy of petroleum products. This protest has now entered its 12th day. The main demand of the party is to abolish the petroleum levy and provide price relief to the people.
Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman also raised the issue of the death of 14 newborns at PIMS Hospital in Islamabad in his speech. He linked the incident to administrative negligence and lack of safety measures and questioned the safety arrangements in the hospital.
14 newborns died in a fire in the PIMS nursery on August 26, while one child was saved. Investigations are underway to determine the causes of the incident and those responsible. Initial reports have revealed different things about the cause of the fire, so the final responsibility can be determined only after the investigation report.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also formed a high-level committee to investigate the incident. The committee has been directed to determine the causes of the fire, safety arrangements and those responsible.
Speaking on the PIMS incident, Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman said that just forming committees is not enough, but it is also necessary to determine those responsible and take effective action. He also sought clarification on the state of safety arrangements in the hospital.
