Punjab ‘the worst hit by poverty’ despite claims of prosperity: JI

LAHORE: Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman on Sunday said that Punjab has witnessed the highest increase in poverty, despite official claims portraying the province as a land of prosperity and development.

Addressing an Iftar gathering in Model Town, Lahore, he said the ruling elite projects an image of rivers of milk and honey flowing across Punjab, while the ground realities remain starkly different. The event was organised by JI Lahore leader Malik Shahid Aslam, while Vice Emir Liaqat Baloch and Lahore Emir Ziauddin Ansari also addressed the gathering.

Rehman said nearly 10 million children are out of school in Punjab, while the ruling class remains engaged in extravagance.

He criticised the Punjab chief minister for purchasing an Rs 11 billion aircraft, stating that heavy spending on publicity campaigns cannot conceal the deteriorating conditions in key social sectors.

“Across Punjab and the rest of the country, every sector is in crisis,” he added.

Criticising the political system, the JI chief said that family-run political parties weaken democratic institutions, while imposed rulers deliberately avoid empowering local governments because they fear the strength of the people.

Referring to the ongoing energy crisis, Rehman said that the government paid Rs 2,000 billion to Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in just one year, adding that Rs 500 billion could ensure free education across the country. He said consumers were being forced to pay for electricity that is not even produced, terming it a grave injustice. He described the current rulers as unpopular and indifferent to public suffering.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026