PESHAWAR: The chief of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman, has criticized governance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, alleging that promises of good governance remain largely rhetorical.
Speaking at a rally held in the stadium of Upper Dir on the theme “Badal Do Nizam” (Change the System), Rehman stated that even after 14 years of rule by one political party in the province, the people are deprived of basic necessities, such as health care facilities, educational institutions, and basic human rights.
The outsourcing of schools was mentioned as an indicator of poor administration, as he emphasized that the state should strengthen its own institutions instead of outsourcing them to private institutions.
Regarding the federal government, he said that increasing debt has put more burden on citizens. According to him, within just four years, Pakistan’s debt had risen from 55 trillion rupees to 85 trillion rupees and borrowing per day adds to the economic burden as well.
“Citizens are already suffering from inflation and economic problems. For decades, no governance regime was able to provide justice to the citizens,” he added, while criticizing the present bureaucracy as they operate with a colonial mindset without caring about public interests.
He demanded that the price of fuel be immediately reduced. According to his recommendation, the price of petrol should immediately be cut to 250 rupees per liter. As he opined, over-taxation of fuel is hitting poor motorists hard, whereas independent producers and landlords receive tax exemptions.
Comparing the provincial regimes of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces with those of other provinces, JI chief said they share similar characteristics, especially in the education sector.
