JI chief says world watching Pakistan closely, urges youth not to lose hope

LAHORE: Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman said that the world is watching Pakistan closely and urged the youth not to lose hope but to actively struggle against an outdated and unjust system.

Addressing a cheque distribution ceremony organised by Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan in Wazirabad for the provision of interest-free loans to help people launch small businesses, Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman said Pakistan belongs to its people, not to politicians, generals or a privileged elite. He announced that Jamaat-e-Islami, through Alkhidmat Foundation, would expand the provision of interest-free loans for youth-led small businesses.

The event was also addressed by Jamaat-e-Islami Central Punjab Emir Javed Qasuri, Alkhidmat Punjab President Ikram-ul-Haq Subhani and others.

Rehman criticised the ruling class for getting their own loans written off while destroying key sectors such as education, health and even sports. He said the police and courts system had collapsed, elections were reduced to manipulation, power was confined to a few families, and unemployment among youth was rising. He said that despair was being deliberately spread among the younger generation, while drug abuse had become rampant.

He said Jamaat-e-Islami was not only leading a struggle against the decaying system but was also actively working to provide relief and hope to the people. Referring to the party’s recent historic public gathering at Minar-e-Pakistan, he said it had revived hope across the nation.

The Jamaat-e-Islami chief criticised the government for increasing the prices of agricultural inputs under IMF diktats, saying small farmers were suffering badly. He added that the government’s pro-people steps were merely symbolic and aimed at optics rather than real reform. He also rejected Punjab’s new local government law, terming it unconstitutional and anti-democratic, and said the party’s movement against the “black law” would continue.

Highlighting the education crisis, Rehman said nearly 10 million children in Punjab were out of school, yet public schools were being sold off instead of being strengthened.

Calling on the youth to stand firm, he said Pakistan was achieved through immense sacrifices and must be transformed into a genuine welfare state through collective struggle. He said Alkhidmat’s Bano Qabil programme had been expanded, while the Z-Connect initiative was providing IT training to youth along with technical skills training for boys and girls. He announced that interest-free loans for launching small businesses would be provided in the coming days.

Rehman also pointed to a growing moral crisis in society, saying Jamaat-e-Islami and Alkhidmat were focusing on the moral and character-building of the younger generation. He vowed to intensify the struggle against injustice and said, with public support, real change would be brought to Pakistan, adding that the exploitation of the people would not be tolerated.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025