JI announces sit-in outside Sindh Assembly on February 14

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Sunday lashed out at federal and provincial governments over Karachi’s poor governance and infrastructure and announced a sit-in outside the Sindh Assembly on February 14 to demand an empowered local government system.

Addressing a rally in Karachi, the JI chief said the port city was facing severe governance failures, citing recent incidents, including a deadly fire at Gul Plaza, where he said there was no effective response from the authorities. He said Karachi’s residents were “burning in fires”.

While rejecting demands to place Karachi under federal control, the JI leader said handing the city to the Centre was “not a solution”. Instead, he demanded an empowered urban local government system to address civic issues.

Rehman accused the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of holding Sindh “hostage” and blamed the provincial government for the destruction of Karachi’s infrastructure, including the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR). 

He said the city lacked a master plan and called for an end to land encroachments in urban areas.

The JI chief stressed that his party was not seeking personal or political gain, adding that the February 14 protest would be “historic”.

Calling on citizens to unite, he urged Karachiites to participate in the sit-in to press for long-term solutions, including improved planning, security and basic services for the country’s largest city.