It is the Choice of the Political and Military leadership.
On 13 February 2023, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) meeting, chaired by Pakistan’s Finance Minister, Ishaq Dar, approved an increase in gas prices of up to 112%, 29% for the commercial sector, 31% for the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) sector and 29% for power plants. The meeting, in which Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also participated, did not spare even the poorest of us. They were also subject an increase of 24%. Due to the increase in gas prices, direct bills, including electricity, CNG and LPG, will unleash calamity on the public. Just three days before this, the same committee added 3 rupees 39 paisa, in the name of financing surcharge for interest payments, on electricity bills. After June 2023, the advance is also to be increased by one more rupee for interest payments. Consider that 43 paisa from the electricity unit is already being taken from the public for interest payments. In addition to this, there is an increase of three and a half rupees, in the name of fuel price adjustment. So this time, full preparations have been made to set the people on fire, before the summer heat!
According to Islam, the energy sector is included within the category of public ownership. It means that this entire sector, electricity, oil and gas production, distribution and sale, will be supervised by the government. This sector will not be financed by interest (riba) loans for any input or output in this sector. Taxes cannot be imposed and the sector as a whole cannot yield riba profits. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said,
«الْمُسْلِمُونَ شُرَكَاءُ فِي ثَلَاثٍ فِي الْمَاءِ وَالْكَلَأِ وَالنَّارِ»
“Muslims share equally in three things, water (resources), pasturage and fire.” (Ahmad).
Consider that six major oil companies in the world alone made a profit of more than 200 billion dollars, last year. Similarly, Pakistan’s power plants are profiting immensely at public expense, whilst being owned by a few capitalists. The Khilafah (Caliphate) will lower the prices of electricity, oil and gas, by eliminating the profits of investors in the energy sector. However, our rulers follow the ideology of slavery to, and freedom of ownership of, the Western order. They continue to impose the doubling of burdens upon the people, breaking their backs. Our rulers describe the increase in energy prices as a compulsion and a bitter pill, in the name of the conditions of international organizations. However, all this is not a compulsion. We are not taking a bitter pill in the greater interest of the country and the people either. Instead, enslaving the entire economy to US colonialism, in the name of IMF conditions, and successively surrendering Pakistan’s key strategic interests on the instructions of FATF, or other institutions of the global colonialist order, is an act of choice and free will, by Pakistan’s political and military leadership. We have the choice to end slavery to this international order by establishing Khilafah and becoming a major world power. The Khilafah will remove the shackles of the petro-dollar and use the gold based dinar and silver based dirham as our currency. Yet, whenever the time comes to decide whether or not to, these rulers always choose slavery to the US!
O Sincere Officers in Pakistan’s Armed Forces! The matter is now in your hands. Apart from the Khilafah, the option is to surrender our sovereignty under American pressure, make the army a mere “anti-terrorism” force, accept slavery to India and surrender our nuclear weapons. These rulers are putting the entire country in the lap of America by creating the pretense of ‘compulsion’. So you can either be the guardians of the thrones of these rulers, or the guardians of the liberation and independence of the Muslims. It is up to you to take the honor of becoming a protector of Islam by giving the Bayah of Nussrah for the establishment of a Khilafah, or to become a mercenary soldier in the “anti-terrorism” force, enslaved by America and the Hindu state. Allah (swt) Alone decides His matter. He (swt) is the Companion of the believers. He (swt) will grant the believers the honor of victory. So it is an obligation on your shoulders that you do not delay this duty any more.
[وَمَنْ يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ إِنَّ اللهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِهِ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللهُ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدْراً]
“And whoever puts their trust in Allah, then He alone is sufficient for them. Certainly Allah achieves His Will. Allah has already set a destiny for everything.” [TMQ Surah At-Talaq 65:3].
Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Wilayah Pakistan
Press Release
26 Rajab 1444 – Friday, 17th February 2023
No: 26 / 1444