LAHORE:Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Lahore, Ziauddin Ansari Advocate, has said that Lahore has become a city plagued by problems due to bad governance. The exorbitant increase in LPG prices is gross injustice to the public. Citizens are already facing severe difficulties due to gas shortages during winter, while the gas supply crisis has persisted since summer. He said that the price of a domestic LPG cylinder has reached approximately Rs. 7,500, whereas its official price should be around Rs. 3,500. Despite LPG imports from Iran, prices continue to rise instead of declining, creating serious concerns among the public. The Punjab government's price control committees and PERA Force appear to have failed to regulate LPG prices. The government must immediately ensure the sale of LPG at official rates and take effective action against profiteering.

Ziauddin Ansari Advocate expressed these views while addressing a press conference at Syed Maududi Islamic Centre. President Public Aid Committee Jamaat-e-Islami Lahore Qaiser Sharif and Secretary Public Aid Committee Naveed Malik were also present. Ziauddin Ansari Advocate said that the government has imposed an additional burden on citizens in the form of a garbage tax, and fines are now being imposed for non-payment. Despite handing over the sanitation system to the private sector, heaps of garbage can still be seen in various parts of Lahore. Cleaning a few major roads cannot be presented as the cleanliness of the entire city. Instead of collecting taxes and imposing fines, the government should focus on providing citizens with a clean and healthy environment. He further said that access to clean drinking water has become a major challenge for Lahore's residents. People in various areas are compelled to purchase clean drinking water. The government must ensure the provision of safe drinking water, lay new water supply lines and gradually repair damaged and outdated pipelines. Access to clean drinking water is a fundamental right of every citizen and its provision is the responsibility of the state.

The Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Lahore said that air pollution and smog in the city are intensifying day by day, but despite government measures, no visible improvement has been witnessed. Last year, the government purchased heavy machinery to combat smog; however, air pollution has increased rather than decreased. Merely purchasing machinery and undertaking cosmetic activities cannot resolve a serious issue like smog. A sustainable and effective environmental strategy is essential. He said that China has focused not only on industrial development but also on plantation and environmental protection. Similarly, reports indicate that India's Punjab state has witnessed a significant decline in crop residue burning incidents this year compared to last year, whereas the situation in our country remains alarming. Effective measures to prevent crop residue burning, provision of modern agricultural machinery and proper guidance for farmers are essential.

Ziauddin Ansari Advocate said that making vehicle fitness certificates mandatory is a positive step; however, the system needs improvement. Fitness certificates should be issued free of charge, and the number of vehicle fitness testing centres should be increased across the city to prevent unnecessary inconvenience and financial burden on citizens. Effective action must also be taken against smoke-emitting vehicles. Referring to the Petroleum Levy and Climate Support Levy, he questioned the justification for imposing an additional Rs. 5 burden on the public in the name of the Climate Support Levy when citizens are already paying substantial levies on petroleum products. The federal government must clarify how the money collected from the public in the name of environmental protection is being spent. Environmental protection requires practical measures and transparency rather than merely imposing additional charges.

Ziauddin Ansari Advocate demanded that the federal and provincial governments take serious and practical steps to provide relief to the public from inflation, the LPG crisis, garbage tax, lack of clean drinking water and air pollution. Providing basic facilities to citizens is the government's responsibility. Jamaat-e-Islami will continue its struggle for the protection of public rights, provision of basic necessities and resolution of civic issues.