ISLAMABAD: The federal government and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) agreed to hold another round of talks on Monday (today) after an agreement was reached on the release of 35 party activists detained by the law-enforcers.
Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage and Culture Attaullah Tarar, who led the government team in the first round of talks with the JI on Sunday, said orders to release 35 JI workers had been issued.
Top JI leader Hafiz Naeemur Rehman had conditioned the release of JI workers with the start of talks with the government. He also told a big public meeting at the sit-in site, also attended by women in a separate enclosure, that there would be no compromise on their demands and the sit-in would continue along with talks process.
He claimed the JI leadership, with its wisdom and due to disciplined party workers, foiled the government conspiracy to disrupt its protest by creating a clash and law and order situation. “We avoided a clash with police and opted to stage a sit-in on the Murree Road under plan B,” he said.
Attaullah Tarar said demands of Jamaat-e-Islami would be discussed with the government’s technical committee, comprising water and power minister, energy secretary and representatives from the Federal Board of Revenue and Ministry of Finance, and recommendations would be prepared and discussed with the JI team on Monday. The government team, which also included Minister for Kashmir Affairs Ameer Muqam, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Prime Minister’s Media Coordinator Badr Shehbaz, welcomed the JI team at the commissioner’s office Rawalpindi. The JI team, led by central naib ameer Liaquat Baloch, comprised Secretary General Ameerul Azeem, energy expert Farasat Shah and JI Islamabad ameer Nasarullah Randhawa, attended the first round of talks, which continued for around 90 minutes.
Talking to the media after talks with the JI delegation, the information minister said the location of Liaquat Bagh was fixed for the sit-in, adding that people were facing difficulties due to road closure. He said a technical committee would hold the next round of talks with the JI representatives. “We will make efforts to resolve the issue amicably tomorrow,” he added.
Tarar said no change had been made in the government’s negotiating team, adding that Minister for Power Awais Leghari was in China currently. He said the government’s team would hold talks with the JI leaders, who had some issues particularly related to electricity. “We talked to the delegation of Jamaat-e-Islami in a pleasant atmosphere; we all want inflation to be controlled and the issue of unemployment addressed, also electricity to be provided at a cheaper rate,” he said.
He said that Rs50 billion subsidy had already been given to electricity consumers using up to 200 units. “The government is also starting various solar projects replacing fuel powered plants,” he said. “Installation of solar tube-wells would reduce electricity consumption.”
Liaquat Baloch said Jamaat had agreed to continue talks with the government, but it would not budge on its demands. “It is the government which first established contact with the JI leadership for talks,” he said. He pointed out that there were no international agreements with IPPs as most of power plants were owned by local businessmen.
Talking to the media and addressing the public meeting, the JI Ameer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said no option except peaceful political resistance is left when parliament stops delivering and becomes a rubberstamp. He maintained that the JI would continue talks with the government but the sit-in would not end till acceptance of the JI demands. “We have put forward our demands including decrease in electricity tariffs,” he said. Naeem said the JI protest would unite the nation and country’s enemies would face frustration.
