JI chief underscores need for ‘genuinely’ empowered local government system

LAHORE: Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Hafiz Naeem Ur Rehman has warned that if the ruling elite continue to sustain an oppressive system and deny people their democratic right, public anger will erupt with consequences the powerful will be unable to contain.

Talking to media after addressing the concluding ceremony of Bukhari Sharif at Jamia Markaz Uloom-e-Islamia on Thursday, Rehman demanded the establishment of a genuinely empowered local government system and the removal of all restrictions on democratic freedoms. He said the country’s youth were being pushed into despair as access to education and employment continued to shrink, while electricity, gas and fuel prices were rising relentlessly.

He criticised what he termed a decaying judicial system, further weakened by amendments that have tightened elite control, and said the economy remained trapped in an interest-based framework that benefits only a few.

Referring to the newly introduced local government law in Punjab, he called it a black law imposed at a time when people are already struggling to survive. He said Jamaat-e-Islami considers resistance against this unjust and exploitative system a national and moral obligation.Rehman cautioned rulers to read the situation carefully and address people’s grievances, warning that once public frustration turns into open revolt, force and weapons will not be able to suppress it. “When lawful avenues are blocked, people are pushed towards unlawful means,” he said, urging authorities to respect public opinion and restore people’s rightful voice in governance.

He also criticised Pakistan’s ruling circles for what he described as their eagerness to seek the favour of former US President Donald Trump, despite his role in advancing a new colonial order, providing blanket protection to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu despite international court rulings, and actions against Venezuela’s leadership. He said Pakistan’s rulers must represent the aspirations of their own people instead of seeking foreign approval.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026