Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan Ameer Engr Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman has demanded the revival of the 2001 local bodies system, dubbing it more empowered as compared to the current local government setup in Sindh
KARACHI: (Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2025) Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan Ameer Engr Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman has demanded the revival of the 2001 local bodies system, dubbing it more empowered as compared to the current local government setup in Sindh.
The JI supremo made the demand at a press conference held at Idara Noor-e-Haq — the JI Karachi headquarters, here on Thursday. He was flanked by JI Karachi Ameer Monem Zafar Khan and other JI Karachi leaders.
Speaking on the occasion, he said that the establishment’s ‘A-Plus Party’ calls the 2001 system — a dictator’s system. He maintained if that was dictatorship, what had PPP’s democratic “system” delivered? He said that the 2001 local government system was way more empowered and it should be implemented nationwide.
Bureaucracy must be placed under local governments, with full political, administrative, and financial authority devolved to elected representatives as per the constitution, he said, adding that currently, feudal lords and landlords control all institutions in Sindh.
Further talking about Karachi, he said the recent rains left major highways submerged, women and children stranded, and citizens reaching home at 2 or 3 a.m. The sole reason for this chaos was the corruption, loot, and incompetence of the government. Funds allocated for drain cleaning were embezzled, leaving the city to drown in rainwater, he added.
He further said that the PPP has embezzled nearly one trillion rupees in development funds over the past 17 years.
He demanded accountability for these funds. He said that the establishment imposed corrupt parties like the PPP and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Karachi and the country through Form-47. He strongly criticized the Federal and provincial governments for not holding local government elections in Punjab and Islamabad. He added that all powers remain with the bureaucracy instead of elected representatives in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Talking about the whopping 200 percent rise in lawmakers salaries, he said yesterday in Sindh Assembly, lawmakers increased their salaries by 200 percent.
The JI’s MPA Muhammad Farooq Farhan opposed the resolution, while all others supported it. The same practice was noted in the Senate and the National Assembly, he said, adding, "When it comes to increasing their own salaries, all become united, but no one cares about public issues."
He said that the Karachi Rights March to be taken out on August 31 would be representing the aspirations of Karachiites.
Talking about the recent floods, he said the JI directed all its district units in Punjab to actively participate in relief work.
On the occasion, he appealed to the youth across the country to join Al-Khidmat Foundation as volunteers to provide relief to the flood victim families.
He was of the view that Pakistan was facing a very alarming flood situation. India once again shown water aggression, which the international community must take notice of, he added.
“In Punjab, the government must take emergency measures. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, heavy rains have wiped out entire villages, leaving over a thousand people dead, many injured, and countless homes destroyed.
In this difficult time, Al-Khidmat Foundation Pakistan is actively continuing its relief work, acknowledged even by the government.”
Hafiz Naeem warned that massive floodwaters are expected to enter Sindh. Riverbed cleaning was the provincial government’s responsibility, but due to rampant corruption in Sindh, no cleaning has been carried out for years, putting the entire province at risk.
He said lawlessness in Sindh is at its peak, with criminal gangs kidnapping Hindu businessmen for millions and billions of rupees in ransom, often with the collusion of PPP feudal lords.
Talking about his recent visit to Iran and meeting with Iranian Prime Minister Masoud Pezeshkian, he said the relations between Pakistan and Iran have always remained strong, and during the recent Pakistan-India and Iran-Israel conflicts, the cooperation between the two nations was widely appreciated by the Iranian people.
He said Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s statements make it clear that he intends to establish a "Greater Israel," and for that purpose no Arab country, including Egypt, Pakistan, or Turkey, holds any importance in his view. He stressed that Pakistan must play a leading role for Palestine as it is the only nuclear-armed Muslim country, and it has recently defeated India, a major adversary, in war.
