Third round: JI-govt talks progressing positively, says Information Minister Tarar

As Jamaat-e-Islami’s ongoing protest against inflation enters its 13th day, Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has underscored “positive progress” in negotiations, saying that the government will hold the fourth round of talks with the Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman-led party today.

The negotiations have been good and positive progress has been made, Tarar said, adding that both sides have decided to sit together on Wednesday (today) once again. He also refused to give any details of the talks citing its confidentiality.

The workers of the JI have been staging a sit-in in Rawalpindi for around two weeks, calling on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led government to revise tax rates, review agreements with independent power producers (IPPs), and slash electricity and fuel prices to provide relief to the inflation-hit masses.

Since the start of the protest, the government has held three rounds of talks with the JI delegation led by senior leader Liaquat Baloch — however, no significant breakthrough has been announced by either side so far.

The fourth round of talks slated for today comes as JI chief Hafiz Naeem, while speaking to the protesters on Rawalpindi’s Murree Road on Monday, warned of shutting the country if their demands are not met.

“Are you ready to barge into the Prime Minister’s House?” he said, warning the government to “take notice,” otherwise, the Jamaat will give the call for a march on the federal capital, the politician had said.

What are JI’s demands?

• Abolition of Petroleum Development Levy on all petroleum products and withdrawal of latest increase in prices of these products.
• 20% reduction in prices of food commodities, electricity and gas tariffs.
• Renegotiation of agreements with independent power producers (IPPs)
• End clause of agreement with IPPs on making payments in US dollars.
• 50% discount should be granted to power consumers of 500 units
• Reduction in taxes on agriculture and industrial sectors besides decreasing their financial burden by 50%
• Ensure incentives to industrial sector, trade and investment to provide employment to youth.
• Withdrawal of increase in taxes on the salaried class and imposition of taxes on the privileged class.
• Cut in non-development expenses by 35%.
• Withdrawal of all taxes on stationery and other items used in education and training of children.

Meanwhile, the party has also announced initiating the second phase of its protest movement with the JI emir, on Tuesday night, saying that the sit-in would move forward from Murree Road, Liaquat Bagh on Thursday, The News reported on Wednesday.

Last week, PM Shehbaz, while commenting on the outcry over sky-high electricity prices, said that the coalition government’s agenda to reduce electricity bills, stressing that it should not be politicised as protests continue in different parts of the country against the high cost of power.

“We do not believe in politics for the sake of politics,” the prime minister said during a cabinet meeting in Islamabad on Friday.

It is to be noted that in the last fiscal year that ended on June 30, the federal government approved a 26% increase in the cost of electricity. On July 13, the public, which was already bearing the brunt of rising inflation, suffered another blow after the Shehbaz administration tacked on another 20% hike.