KARACHI:Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Pakistan deputy chief Dr Osama Razi has said the fundamental issue facing the country is the erosion of democratic freedoms and the visual disregard for public mandate, asserting that no genuine reform or progress can be achieved until the democratic system is rectified and the true will of the people is respected.
Addressing a one-day training convention for women ward heads organized by the JI Halqa Khawateen Karachi at Idara Noor-e-Haq on Tuesday, Dr Osama said that local body elections and the 2024 general elections were hijacked, followed by similar interventions in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir. He stressed that with women constituting 54 per cent of the national population, their role in democratic and civic struggles remains pivotal.
Touching upon global dynamics, the JI leader remarked that the current era belongs to Generation Z, noting that public reaction to the Gaza conflict has reshaped electoral discourse across Europe and the United States. He urged party workers to stay vigilant regarding international geopolitical shifts and emphasized that sovereign authority inherently belongs to Allah and exercised through the collective will of the people.
Speaking at the event, JI Karachi chief Monem Zafar presented a three-year performance report covering the nine towns administered by the party in the metropolis. He stated that despite receiving zero development funds from the PPP-led Sindh government, JI-run town administrations utilized self-generated resources to rehabilitate 234 parks, restore 42 sports grounds, and upgrade 73 schools over the past three years.
He added that the town administrations activated 19 dispensaries, constructed 10.56 million square feet of roads, installed over 150,000 streetlights, and provided drinking water connections to approximately 130,000 households, alongside spending Rs2.5 billion on sewerage and water infrastructure-tasks that fell outside the primary scope of town responsibilities.
Highlighting the strategy outlined by JI founder Maulana Maududi, Monem stressed the importance of public outreach, expanding party membership, and engaging youth via digital platforms.
The convention was also addressed by JI Women's Wing Central Secretary General Dr Humaira Tariq and other leaders, including Jawdan Faheem, Sajida Tanveer, all of whom emphasized constructive critique, organizational discipline, and the strategic deployment of social media alongside regular study of religious literature to counter contemporary ideological challenges.