CHARSADDA: Jamaat-i-Islami Khyber Pakhtunkhwa general secretary Abdul Wasi has announced to launch a movement against the provincial government for imposing agricultural tax, and prolonged electric outages in the province.

He made the remarks while addressing a press conference here on Monday. JI district emir Shah Hussain Advocate, general secretary Fawad Ahmed, provincial deputy emir Mohammad Riaz Khan and others were also present on the occasion.

Mr Wasi said the law and order situation in KP was precarious and people were forced to stay indoors after the sunset.

He said development process had completely stopped in the province, which had been burdened with record debts over the last 11 years as the government failed to get receivables from the federal government.

He said the local body representatives and government employees were being subjected to violence for raising voice for their rights.

Mr Wasi said ‘worst corruption’ was continuing in government departments, and educational institutions were facing financial crisis. “Government is paying the salaries of its employees by selling the land of universities.” He said according to an estimate, more than 150,000 people, mostly youth, were addicted to drugs, especially ice.

He said it was responsibility of the government to provide free education up to matriculation, but alleged that the government was planning to privatise educational institutions.

The JI leader said despite the fact that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa generated cheap hydropower its residents were subjected to ‘worst’ loadshedding. “The economy of the province is in ruins due to decades-long insurgency.” He said that the provincial government had taken punitive decision to meet the budget deficit through imposition of 45pc agricultural income tax and super tax on farmers.

The JI provincial general secretary said Jamaat chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman had launched a public outreach campaign at the grassroots level and a large number of people were joining the party.

He said in the next phase of the membership campaign, public committees would be formed in the province tasked with launching a movement against the government.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2025