JI vows to continue anti-inflation protests as govt offers talks

• All JI arrested activists released late on Friday.
• Hafiz Naeem to announce future strategy in a few hours.
• PTI calls off Islamabad protest for Imran Khan's release. 

The Jamat-e-Islami (JI) vowed to continue the ongoing anti-inflation protest until their demands are accepted as hundreds from across the country gathered near the federal capital despite restrictions on Friday.

The announcement came after the government expressed readiness to negotiate with the JI, urging the party to record their protest at the permitted venue in the country's interest.

"We are ready to talk for peace, security and development of the country which is the main agenda of our government,” Federal Information Minister Ataullah Tarar said while addressing a news conference today.

The party claimed at least 1,150 of its workers were arrested while trying to march on Islamabad to protest against inflation, in what the authorities said was defiance of Section 144 imposed in the federal capital and across Punjab.

They said Section 144 was imposed to prohibit assemblies and processions ahead of the call of protests by different opposition parties due to concerns about terrorism and potential disruptions to law and order.

While Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) took to streets seeking release of its founder Imran Khan, JI had given the call to its supporters to gather in Islamabad for a sit-in at D-Chowk against a massive hike in electricity prices.

However, the police carried out arrests and put barricades in ways leading to the venue to keep the protestors from entering the city's premises.

With Section 144 in place, the federal capital was completely sealed off with containers, effectively isolating it from surrounding areas, including Rawalpindi.

Meanwhile, various arteries within the city also remained blocked, leading to widespread traffic disruptions across the city.

The police said that they would not allow JI to protest in Islamabad without permission.

In the wake of arrests and barricades, JI's Rawalpindi Emir Arif Sherazi later announced that they would stage the sit-in on Pindi’s Muree Road instead of D-Chowk in the federal capital, which will continue till their demands are accepted.

Rawalpindi Central Police Officer Khalid Mahmood Hamdani said that JI had been permitted to stage a rally in Liaquat Bagh after agreeing on certain SOPs with the protestors.

"The situation is peaceful here and no one will be allowed to deteriorate the situation," he said.

Later, JI Emir Naeem joined the protestors gathered at I-8 in Islamabad and addressed a sit-in staged there, before the procession moved towards the Liaquat Bagh venue.

Later, JI's Liaquat Baloch announced that all arrested JI activists were released. 

'Be ready to move ahead': Hafiz Naeem

Late at the night, the JI chief told the sit-in participants to be ready as he would give the call to move ahead at any moment.

Naeem said that the high electricity bills had forced the industrialists to shut down their factories and people to "murder their brothers", as he referred to a recent incident in Gujranwala.

"The government claims that the electricity price was increased as per the International Monetary Fund (IMF) demands," he said, adding that the ruling coalition did not have any reputation as it had come into power on the basis of "Form-47".

He asked the government the reason for the 25% increase in its administrative expenses.

Naeem regretted that people had to sell their valuables to pay the bills, while calling for removal of taxes from the electricity bills.

He said that the JI sit-in would deprive the rulers of the privileges and luxuries.

The JI emir said that his party doesn't want anything but the removal of "undue" taxes on the masses.

Naeem further stated that 80% companies of the independent power producers (IPPs) were owned by Pakistanis who were part of the government.

"There is one company which charges Rs750 per unit. Why should we pay this money," he added.

Naeem said that if the government is interested in holding talks then it should form a committee for negotiations.

He further stated that he would reveal the future strategy for the sit-in in a few hours.

Earlier, while addressing the protestors at I-8, Islamabad, Naeem said that they had staged a protest sit-in for the rights of the people.

"This is a battle for the rights of the people," he said, adding that they had come to hold a sit-in for the people.

"We have come to provide relief to 250 million people. We have only one demand from the government — provide relief to the people," he said.

Naeem also demanded the release of the arrested JI members arrested today.

“Protest is our right, the arrested workers should be released," he said.

The JI leader also warned that the sit-in has just begun, saying that they "will stay here".

Meanwhile, sources said that the JI and district administration of Rawalpindi had reached a consensus on allowing sit-in to continue for 2-3 days on Murree Road near Liaquat Bagh, without traffic disruption or disturbance in peace and security.

Earlier, several JI activists were arrested in Lahore as well when they gathered to march towards Islamabad.

On the Faizabad interchange, the police party was deployed to tackle the JI protestors coming in from different parts of the country for the sit-in.

PTI protest in Islamabad called off

While PTI demonstrations were reported in different cities of the country, the former ruling party called off the protest for Khan's release in Islamabad till Monday.

Party's Islamabad chapter president Amir Mughal said they will stage protest on Monday as a verdict was reserved by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on the petition seeking permission for demonstration on July 29.

Earlier, 30 PTI workers were arrested in Karachi as they gathered at Teen Talwar for the protest. The police first tried to disperse the demonstrators but later made the arrests upon resistance.

Separately, 10 other PTI workers were arrested in Hyderabad during a protest.

PTI leader Haleem Adil Sheikh criticised the crackdown on protestors by asking if martial law had been imposed in the province of Sindh.

He also questioned police’s actions on peaceful protests.

Meanwhile, separate protests were staged in Peshawar and Bahawalnagar as well, demanding the release of incarcerated former prime minister.