Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami, Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, has strongly criticized the government, accusing it of exploiting workers instead of protecting their rights.
Addressing a ceremony in Mansoora, Lahore, he said the ruling authorities are misleading people by offering charity-based schemes rather than ensuring fair wages and legal protections for workers. According to him, temporary financial assistance programs cannot solve the deeper economic problems faced by the public.
He specifically mentioned the Benazir Income Support Programme, saying that such initiatives only provide short-term relief while the real issues of unemployment, low wages, and inflation remain unaddressed.
Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman criticized both the Pakistan Muslim League-N and the Pakistan Peoples Party, alleging that the two parties are jointly responsible for policies that deprive ordinary citizens of their rights. He claimed that middlemen and powerful groups continue to benefit at the expense of common workers.
He further said that poverty has increased significantly over the past several years and that minimum wage laws are not being properly implemented. According to him, the working class has been neglected while the cost of living continues to rise.
The Jamaat-e-Islami chief also criticized the recent increase in petroleum prices, saying the government has raised the price of petrol and diesel while collecting billions of rupees in levies from the public. He argued that the tax burden is unfairly placed on ordinary citizens, whereas influential individuals receive tax exemptions on their land and income.
He concluded by saying that real economic reform can only come when workers are given their due rights instead of being offered temporary relief measures.
