Pakistan should not be part of the International Peace Force for Gaza: JI Chief
Emir JI announces holding a nationwide public referendum on Jan 15 against Punjab’s black local govt law
ISLAMABAD ( Web News )
Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has strongly urged the government not to become part of any so-called international peace force for Gaza, warning that such a move could be aimed at suppressing the Palestinian freedom struggle.
Addressing the International Leadership Summit 2025 as chief guest here on Saturday, Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman said the nation must be taken into confidence regarding any secret agreements with the United States on Gaza-related matters. He stressed that lasting peace in Gaza is impossible without the complete withdrawal of Israel.
The two-day International Leadership Summit is being hosted by Islami Jamiat Talba Pakistan under the aegis of the International Islamic Federation of Students Organizations (IIFSO), with student leaders from over 20 countries in attendance.
Rehman lamented that global affairs are dominated by a handful of world powers, reducing the United Nations to a mere puppet. He criticized rulers of the Muslim world for failing to act in the interests of their own people and for safeguarding Western interests instead.
Speaking on Pakistan’s internal situation, regional dynamics, challenges facing the Muslim world, and the role of Muslim youth in a rapidly changing global order, the JI chief said the world is facing a deep crisis of justice, where two to three percent of the population has held the rest of humanity hostage. In such circumstances, he said, the youth—particularly from the Islamic world—are best positioned to lead humanity out of oppression and exploitation.
He emphasized that Jamaat-e-Islami carries a global vision, noting that representatives of Islamic movements from across the world recently participated in the party’s general congregation, where a joint roadmap was developed to address challenges facing Pakistan, the Muslim world, and the international community. “Only the establishment of an Islamic system can ensure justice in the world,” he said, adding that the United States and Western civilization are witnessing a clear decline.
Reiterating Jamaat-e-Islami’s stance, Rehman declared that Israel can never be recognized and affirmed full support for Hamas, describing it as the democratically accepted force in Gaza. He said Israel has repeatedly violated peace agreements and that peace cannot be achieved unless Israel withdraws from Gaza.
He further stated that Pakistan, being the only nuclear power in the Muslim world, must not become part of any agreement that strengthens Israel. He regretted that many Muslim countries are ruled by forces serving Western interests, while failing to prioritize the needs of their own populations.
Welcoming international delegates, Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman described them as the future of the Muslim Ummah and called for transferring values and traditions to the younger generation alongside nurturing their talents.
Responding to questions, he paid tribute to the sacrifices of youth in Bangladesh, recalling the martyrdom of Usman Hadi, and said the Muslim world needs a revolution rooted in justice, fairness, and the will of the people. He also condemned an Indian minister’s act of forcibly removing the veil of a Muslim woman, terming it a product of Hindutva ideology, and said the Modi government’s systematic actions are against minorities. He reiterated that India’s occupation of Kashmir is illegal and called for sustained advocacy on the Kashmir issue, urging the Pakistan government to take all possible steps for Kashmiris.
He also highlighted that Alkhidmat Foundation has so far dispatched 38 consignments of relief goods for the people of Palestine. Deputy Secretary Jamaat-e-Islami Syed Firasat Shah and Secretary Information Shakil Ahmed Turabi were also present at the conference. Nazim-e-Aala Islami Jamiat Talba Hasan Bilal Hashmi and leaders of various international student Islamic movements also addressed the gathering.
Emir JI announces holding nationwide public referendum on Jan 15 against Punjab’s black local govt law
RAWALPINDI
Emir Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has announced holding a nationwide public referendum on January 15 against Punjab’s “black” local government law and the failure to grant powers to local government institutions across the country.
He expressed these views while addressing a protest sit-in organized by Jamaat-e-Islami Rawalpindi at Liaquat Bagh against Punjab’s black local government law. Emir Jamaat-e-Islami North Punjab Dr. Tariq Saleem, Secretary General Iqbal Khan, Emir Jamaat-e-Islami Rawalpindi Syed Arif Shah Shirazi, and Raza Ahmed Shah also addressed the sit-in.
Emir JI said that the results of the referendum would be shared with the entire country and the world. After obtaining a mandate through public opinion in the referendum, they will march toward all four provincial assemblies and stage sit-ins in front of them for public rights. He added that the rulers’ dark deeds and the black local government law are unacceptable under any circumstances. This is a movement for the people’s rights and authority, and it will be continued.
Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that the usurpation of local government powers would not be accepted under any circumstances. He announced a call for people from across Punjab to surround the Punjab Assembly. He said a shameful plan to hold non-party local elections had been devised. He added that the horse-trading that takes place in the Senate and the national and provincial assemblies is now being planned for every street and neighborhood. “We do not accept this black law and will launch a strong movement against it,” he said.
He further stated that all provincial governments in the country keep powers in their own hands, and that a fake tug-of-war is going on in the name of the NFC Award. He accused the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-N of deceiving the public. He said the Sindh government has consumed billions of rupees meant for Karachi, while taxpayers’ money is spent on advertisements featuring kings and queens. He said a single bureaucrat runs the entire system, despite the Constitution making it mandatory to hold local government elections. Bureaucrats, he said, have taken control of local government institutions.
“This is not a system of officer rule but a system of servant rule,” he said, adding that the bureaucracy has become subservient to political families. The Jamaat-e-Islami chief said it is the government’s responsibility to provide free, quality, and equal education. He pointed out that more than 10 million children in Punjab are out of school, and that under the pretext of privatization, public schools are being put up for plunder. He said that under the name of Maryam Nawaz clinics, the government is evading its responsibilities.
He stressed that Punjab should be compared with Punjab itself, not with Sindh, and questioned where the trillions of rupees in development funds for Punjab have been spent. He said taxes are imposed on the poor while the privileged class enjoys benefits. Questioning the role of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), he asked what its 25,000 employees are doing, and if all taxes are indirect, what purpose the FBR serves.
He said that to resolve public issues, the country’s real leadership must come forward. He demanded the introduction of an empowered local government system in Punjab and said the bureaucracy should be subordinate to elected local representatives. “We want to change the system,” he said, adding that the current judicial system also fails to deliver justice to the people. He termed the existing system rotten and said it was created by military dictators and rulers nurtured under them. Dr. Tariq Saleem said that the “Form 47” rulers want to seize control of Punjab’s local government institutions.