Hafiz Naeem Leads JI Long March from Karachi to Islamabad

News Desk
KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman officially commenced a high-stakes long march from Karachi to Islamabad, rallying thousands of supporters against soaring inflation, heavy taxation, and inflated electricity tariffs.
The massive demonstration departed from the southern port city with workers and supporters chanting slogans against economic mismanagement, setting the stage for a protracted political showdown in the federal capital.
Addressing the roaring crowd prior to departure, Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman stated that the ruling administration has plunged the working class and salaried individuals into unprecedented financial distress through unbearable utility bills and regressive taxes. The JI leadership has vowed to maintain continuous pressure on the federal government until concrete relief is provided to the masses, demanding an immediate rollback of independent power producer (IPP) agreements and a substantial reduction in petroleum levies.
The long march represents a major escalation in political agitation across Pakistan, coming at a time when the coalition government is striving to stabilize the fragile economy under an ongoing International Monetary Fund (IMF) program.
Observers note that while peaceful democratic protest is a constitutional right, any prolonged sit-in or disruption in the capital could severely test political stability and strain relations between the state machinery and opposition groups seeking immediate populist concessions.
As the caravan makes its journey northward through Sindh and Punjab, local party chapters have been mobilized to welcome the participants and expand the protest base. Government officials have urged restraint and called for dialogue, while the JI leadership insists that the march will proceed toward Islamabad as planned to press its comprehensive charter of demands before the federal authorities.