Key Pakistani Islamist party begins sit-in to protest increase in electricity bills

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Supporters of the Pakistani religious group “Jamaat-e-Islami” stage a sit-in protest in the city of Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Saturday, July 27, 2024. Hundreds of supporters of a key Islamist party began a sit-in protest in the garrison city of Rawalpindi late Friday after authorities detained dozens to prevent them from holding the rally in Pakistan’s neighboring capital, citing security reasons, officials said. (AP Photo/W.K. Yousafzai)

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Supporters of the Pakistani religious group “Jamaat-e-Islami” sit during a protest in the city of Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Saturday, July 27, 2024. Hundreds of supporters of a key Islamist party began a sit-in protest in the garrison city of Rawalpindi late Friday after authorities detained dozens to prevent them from holding the rally in Pakistan’s neighboring capital, citing security reasons, officials said. (AP Photo/W.K. Yousafzai)

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Supporters of the Pakistani religious group “Jamaat-e-Islami” chant anti-government slogans during a protest against the price hike and additional taxes and increasing electricity and gas tariffs, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/W.K. Yousafzai)

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Security personnel detain Supporters of the Pakistani religious group “Jamaat-e-Islami” during a protest against the price hike and additional taxes and increasing electricity and gas tariffs, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/W.K. Yousafzai)

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ISLAMABAD (AP) — Hundreds of supporters of a key Islamist party began a sit-in protest in the garrison city of Rawalpindi late Friday after authorities detained dozens to prevent them from holding the rally in Pakistan’s neighboring capital, citing security reasons, officials said.

The Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan party originally issued a call for holding the sit-in near the parliament building in Islamabad to pressure the government to withdraw a substantial increase in electricity costs, which have drawn nationwide criticism. People complain they are getting electricity bills even higher than their salaries.

Naeem-ur-Rehman, who heads Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, told demonstrators in Rawalpindi that he was willing to stage the sit-in even for weeks. He said police arrested a large number of the party’s supporters to prevent them from staging the sit-in in Islamabad.

Authorities say electricity fees have been increased to meet conditions set by the International Monetary Fund during negotiations that led to a staff-level agreement for a new $7 billion loan deal for Pakistan earlier this month.