Attock: Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has termed the Punjab Local Government Act fake, anti-democratic and a clear expression of hatred towards the people, announcing that a public referendum will be held on January 15 in favour of a truly empowered local government system.Addressing a large public gathering in Attock on Wednesday, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that following the referendum, Jamaat-e-Islami would surround the Punjab Assembly to press for the repeal of the law. He also announced the launch of a fresh, organised movement against what he described as the IPP mafia, saying IPPs are exploiting the country's energy sector at the expense of the public.The JI chief stressed that India could never be a well-wisher of Muslims and warned that Afghan soil must not be used for terrorism inside Pakistan. He said Kabul should not pin its hopes on New Delhi and urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to resolve their issues through dialogue. He also made it clear that the Pakistani nation would not accept the deployment of Pakistan's armed forces to Gaza under any circumstances.A large number of people, including women and children, attended the rally.Hafiz Naeemur Rehman strongly criticised the country's judicial system, education crisis and the worsening conditions of workers and farmers. He said that the objectives of Pakistan's creation had yet to be achieved, adding that the bureaucracy continued to protect a colonial system inherited from the British. He said that both civil and military establishments were running the same outdated system, where bureaucracy viewed itself as rulers rather than servants of the people. He said feudal lords and capitalists are loyal to colonial interests generation after generation, while political parties, he said, sought power through appeasing the establishment. 'The country does not need a change of faces, but a change of system,' he said, calling for an intensified struggle to replace the prevailing order.Referring to constitutional boundaries, the JI chief said that institutions had clearly defined limits and urged powerful segments to stop distributing certificates of treason. He highlighted the poor state of the justice system, noting that people faced immense difficulties in seeking justice, with around 2.3 million cases pending in courts. He said nearly 30 million children were out of school, government schools were being sold off, and children of poor labourers and farmers lacked access to quality education.He further said that millions of labourers were not even officially recognised as workers due to registration issues, and despite official announcements, minimum wage laws were not implemented. He urged Jamaat-e-Islami workers to increase outreach to youth and intensify public awareness efforts, stressing that Pakistan could not progress without freeing itself from the imposed ruling elite.Criticising the prime minister, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said he should stop appeasing the US president and start genuinely representing the people. 'A prime mi nister who indulges in flattery and appeasement is unacceptable to the nation,' he said. He said US President Donald Trump is fully backing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he termed a killer of Palestinians, and referred to threats made against countries such as Greenland, Cuba and Iran. He questioned whether Trump could still be called a 'messenger of peace,' recalling that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had proposed Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.He warned that war between Pakistan and Afghanistan would only benefit forces hostile to Muslims and urged both countries to act wisely and resolve disputes through dialogue. If talks failed, he suggested seeking the help of mediators, adding that Jamaat-e-Islami was also ready to facilitate Pakistan-Afghanistan negotiations.