KARACHI: Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman on Thursday demanded the revival of the 2001 local bodies system, describing it as “far more empowered” than the present setup in Sindh.
Addressing a press conference at Idara Noor-e-Haq, the JI Karachi headquarters, Hafiz Naeem said the system introduced in 2001 had been dubbed a dictator’s system by what he called the establishment’s “A-plus party,” but it had still proved more effective than what the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had introduced under democracy.
He insisted the model should be implemented across the country with full political, administrative, and financial authority devolved to elected representatives. He added that bureaucracy must be placed under local governments as per the constitution, but in Sindh feudal lords and landlords continued to control institutions.
Flanked by JI Karachi Ameer Monem Zafar Khan and other local leaders, Hafiz Naeem criticised the Sindh government for its failure in Karachi, saying recent rains had left highways submerged, women and children stranded, and citizens reaching their homes late at night. He alleged that funds allocated for drain cleaning were embezzled, leaving the city to drown in rainwater. He further claimed that the PPP had misappropriated nearly one trillion rupees in development funds over the past 17 years, demanding accountability.
He also accused the establishment of imposing corrupt parties such as the PPP and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Karachi and the country through Form-47. He criticized the federal and provincial governments for delaying local government elections in Punjab and Islamabad and said in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa too, all powers remained concentrated in bureaucracy instead of elected councils.
Turning to the Sindh Assembly’s decision to increase lawmakers’ salaries by 200 percent, Hafiz Naeem said JI’s MPA Muhammad Farooq Farhan had opposed the move while all others supported it. He remarked that when it came to their own perks, ruling parties became united, but they remained indifferent to public concerns.
He said the Karachi Rights March, scheduled for August 31, would represent the aspirations of the city’s residents. He also appealed to the youth across Pakistan to volunteer with Al-Khidmat Foundation in order to support families affected by the ongoing floods. He said JI had directed its district units in Punjab to participate in relief work, adding that Al-Khidmat’s efforts were acknowledged even by the government.
Hafiz Naeem warned that massive floodwaters were expected to enter Sindh due to the provincial government’s negligence in riverbed cleaning. He described the situation as alarming, claiming India had once again shown water aggression, which the international community must take notice of. He said villages in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been wiped out by heavy rains, with over a thousand people dead, many injured, and countless homes destroyed.
He also criticized rising lawlessness in Sindh, alleging that criminal gangs were kidnapping Hindu businessmen for millions in ransom with the collusion of PPP feudal lords. Referring to his recent visit to Iran, Hafiz Naeem said he met Iranian Prime Minister Masoud Pezeshkian and found that relations between Pakistan and Iran remained strong. He said during recent Pakistan-India and Iran-Israel conflicts, the Iranian people widely appreciated Pakistan’s cooperation.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025