Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman has claimed that around 8 million girls in Punjab are out of school, accusing the government of failing to protect their basic right to education.
Addressing participants at a sit-in in Lahore, Hafiz Naeem criticised the government, saying millions of girls across Punjab were not attending school while authorities had outsourced thousands of girls’ schools.
He said Punjab’s literacy rate was around 70%, leaving millions of people without access to education. He added that women were working alongside men in almost every field, but the government was still failing to protect their basic rights.
The Jamaat-e-Islami leader alleged that the government had deprived girls of their right to education. He also claimed that female medical graduates were not receiving their full share of house-job opportunities.
Hafiz Naeem accused the government of failing to provide peace, safe transport and basic facilities, saying it was relying on only a few cosmetic measures.
He said rising inflation had put severe financial pressure on women, with mothers sacrificing their own needs to pay their children’s school fees. He added that many families could no longer afford basic necessities.
Speaking about healthcare, Hafiz Naeem said the government was trying to avoid responsibility for basic health centres. He claimed that doctors who spoke up for their rights faced the risk of losing their jobs, while the government had failed to address their concerns.
He said Pakistan had around 85 million workers, including nearly 30 million women. Women were working in factories and agricultural fields, he added, but around 40 million women in Punjab did not have a fixed minimum wage.
Hafiz Naeem claimed that more than 40% of the population was living below the poverty line. He alleged that poverty had increased by 33% across Pakistan over the past six years and by 41% in Punjab.
He blamed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and those who brought them to power for worsening the economic difficulties faced by the public.
Criticising the ruling elite, Hafiz Naeem said rulers were spending public money while imposing higher electricity charges and levies on ordinary citizens. He warned that society could not progress under such policies and urged the government to end its “stubbornness” and address public grievances.
He said poor children had the same right to education as the children of the ruling elite, while ensuring equal rights and opportunities for women was the state’s responsibility.
Hafiz Naeem added that many women were joining protests as inflation and economic difficulties continued to rise.