Addressing the Kul Punjab Ijtema-e-Zimmedaran, a Punjab-wide gathering of party office-bearers, in Lahore, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said the existing political parties had no solutions to public problems, adding that Jamaat-e-Islami was the only alternative for bringing about systemic change in the country.
He said Jamaat-e-Islami must emerge as a major political party in Punjab and become a leading parliamentary force across Pakistan. He added that whoever established a strong political presence in Punjab ultimately dominated politics across the country, and expressed confidence that the party would soon become a significant parliamentary force nationwide.
The Jamaat-e-Islami chief said the country’s political, social and economic systems were being held hostage by a handful of individuals. He alleged that powerful figures manipulated the system, sometimes through the suspension of the Results Transmission System and at other times by imposing governments on the public through Form 47.
He said political parties fought not for the welfare of the people but to protect their personal interests. He added that cult politics, feudalism and capitalism had played a significant role in the politics of the subcontinent.
Hafiz Naeemur Rehman alleged that the establishment had facilitated the induction of electable candidates into political parties in large numbers, adding that political parties had been imposed on the nation under the establishment’s influence for the past 80 years.
He said there was virtually no system of justice and fairness in the country, adding that establishing a system based on justice and fairness was their responsibility. He said Jamaat-e-Islami must come forward to shape public opinion and bring about systemic change, maintaining that the party alone had the ability to resolve public issues and transform the existing system.
The address comes as Jamaat-e-Islami continues its campaign against the petroleum levy, with public gatherings planned in Quetta on 22 November and at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore on 29 November, the party announced earlier this month. The party has held nine to ten rounds of negotiations with the government over the levy, according to its leadership.
Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has led Jamaat-e-Islami since 2024. The party has been pressing for the complete abolition of the petroleum levy and for relief on fertiliser and wheat costs, while also raising the delay in local government elections in Punjab.
