KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Ameer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has said that national issues would be resolved if “those who win are allowed to win” and those who lose are not imposed on the people.
Addressing a press conference at Idara Noor-e-Haq on August 1, 2026, he said Mohsin Naqvi had, by acknowledging the failure of the present system, admitted that both those imposed through Form 47 and those who imposed them had failed.
“Our position is clear and categorical: winners should not be deprived of victory and losers should not be imposed. If everyone returns to their constitutional position, the system will correct itself,” he said.
Hafiz Naeem said that when matters went out of control, such issues were brought forward to make people quarrel among themselves, debate on linguistic grounds and push the real issue into the background. He said local government elections had not been held in Punjab since 2015, while in Karachi, the way was blocked for Jamaat-e-Islami’s mayor.
He alleged that the PPP itself was a product of Form 47 and asked Bilawal Bhutto to show the Forms 45 of the seven seats won from Karachi. He said those who did not get 17 seats were handed over the whole country, adding that those responsible for regime change could not be forgiven.
The JI chief said it was necessary to hold elections in the country on the basis of proportional representation. He also called for the release of political prisoners and said the entire ruling class, including the military, should give up unnecessary privileges.
Announcing protests against what he described as the “cruel collection” of petroleum levy, Hafiz Naeem said Jamaat-e-Islami would hold protests across the country and block roads on August 7. He said a major women’s protest march would be held at Shahrah-e-Quaideen on August 3, while youth would also come out on August 2 to prepare for the August 7 protest.
He said the people would use their constitutional and legal right and force the rulers to bow before them. He also expressed deep sorrow and grief over the death of 35 mine workers in Balochistan.
Hafiz Naeem said Karachi was the economic hub of the country, but no ruling party at the federal or provincial level was ready to own it. He alleged that the PPP had occupied Karachi’s institutions and resources, while the people were deprived of basic facilities.
Speaking about Azad Kashmir, he said the government had worsened the situation there. He said if the issue had been resolved through talks, the situation would not have deteriorated to this extent. “Problems cannot be solved with bullets. Hatred grows and external and anti-state forces benefit,” he said.
He said negotiations were still the way to resolve the issues in Azad Kashmir, adding that the tone of the rulers was hurting Pakistan. He said Kashmiris were “our brothers” and that neither the PPP prime minister in Azad Jammu and Kashmir nor the Government of Pakistan had played any role.
Hafiz Naeem said Jamaat-e-Islami had always offered its services for resolving the Azad Kashmir issue. He said the events of the past few days had worried every Pakistani. He said the issue could not be resolved through force, adding that personnel of the forces were also “our people” and the people of Azad Kashmir were also “our brothers”. He said JI had never said it accepted any anti-Pakistan narrative and supported a negotiated solution to the situation.
On fuel prices, Hafiz Naeem said petrol in Pakistan was being sold at the highest rate in the region in terms of currency. He termed the levy an extreme injustice to the people and a “government extortion tax”.
He said when the rulers were asked to end the levy, they claimed Pakistan was in an IMF programme and therefore the levy could not be abolished. He rejected this argument and said the government had failed to meet its targets, while the FBR had become a hub of corruption.
Referring to Awais Leghari, he said Pakistan had 30 million motorcycles and the poor and middle classes using these motorcycles were paying heavy taxes and levies. He said even those whose income was not taxable were paying tax and levy.
He said whenever petrol prices increased, prices of all essential items rose sharply and the budget of poor families went completely out of control. He added that the rulers were not ending their own luxuries and had placed the entire burden on the public.
Hafiz Naeem said that when people shifted to solar due to higher electricity prices, the government changed solar policies. He said incompetent rulers had been imposed who had no ability to resolve any problem.
JI Karachi Ameer Munem Zafar Khan, Karachi naib ameers Saifuddin Advocate and Raja Arif Sultan, Sindh Assembly member Muhammad Farooq, Information Secretary Zahid Askari and Senior Deputy Information Secretary Sohaib Ahmed were also present at the press conference.
