LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said on Friday that workers deserve their due rights rather than charity, warning that a system built on exploitation and inequality cannot sustain itself for long.
Addressing a Labour Day gathering at Mansoorah, organized by the National Labour Federation, he said a privileged elite—comprising feudal lords, industrialists, and bureaucrats—has controlled national resources for decades, draining the lifeblood of the poor. He called for dismantling what he described as a deeply entrenched exploitative system. The event was attended by labour representatives from across the country, along with senior party leaders including Deputy Secretary General Usman Farooq Sheikh, Lahore Emir Ziauddin Ansari, and NLF President Shamsur Rehman Swati, all of whom also addressed the gathering.Criticizing the Benazir Income Support Programme and other social security institutions, Rehman alleged that such entities have become centres of corruption. He said millions of workers, daily wage earners, and small farmers are unable to afford education for their children, adding that around 10 million children in Punjab alone are out of school.He also criticized the taxation structure, stating that ordinary citizens bear the burden of heavy indirect taxes, including petroleum levies. “A common man pays around Rs120 per litre in taxes on petrol, while motorcycle owners alone contribute approximately Rs500 billion annually,” he said, contrasting this with what he termed minimal tax contributions by large landowners.Hafiz Naeem highlighted the lack of formal registration in the labour sector, noting that out of an estimated 80 million workers, nearly 60 million remain unregistered and are often employed under informal or contract arrangements without legal protections. He added that workers continue to face limited access to healthcare, education, and justice.
Condemning recent increases in petroleum prices, he warned the government to abolish petroleum levies or face intensified protests. He also expressed skepticism about the government’s ability to effectively utilize economic opportunities arising from the evolving regional situation, asserting that even significant financial inflows would not benefit the public under the current system.
Hafiz Naeem reiterated that Jamaat-e-Islami remains committed to a democratic struggle for public rights and invited workers and farmers to join the party’s efforts for systemic change.Later, addressing a central training session at Mansoorah, he said that Jamaat-e-Islami is a movement that transcends sectarian divisions and other prejudices, advocating unity within the Muslim Ummah. He directed party workers to expand the scope of the ongoing public outreach campaign and bring more people, especially youth, into the movement. He also reaffirmed the party’s commitment to launching a nationwide movement for public rights after achieving the campaign’s set targets. Participants from Sargodha and Haripur attended the training session.
