Criminal rulers rob us of our right over electricity, whilst plunging us deeper into debt and despair

On 2 May 2014, the Finance Ministry proudly declared that the World Bank has approved $12 billion in interest based loans for Pakistan, including $1bn to be provided in the second week of May. Along with loans from the Asian Development Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Japan International Credit Agency, this loan has conditions to continue significant changes to Pakistan's power sector. Elaborating, Rachid Benmessaoud, the World Bank's Director for Pakistan, whilst addressing journalists via video conference on Friday 2 May, stressed upon "improving tariff policy" and "opening the market to private participation." And in its "Pakistan-Program Note" of 7 April 2014 the IMF highlights regarding the energy policy, "privatizing public sector enterprises" and "measures to improve the business climate."

As for "opening the market to private participation" and "privatizing public sector enterprises", this is about private ownership of the power sector. This is a crime because it not only deprives the people of a great source of revenue to look after their affairs, it also means that private owners, who have limited resources, only provide electricity when they can profit. They cannot provide electricity as a service and a right for all citizens, for that is the job of a responsible and caring state. This is why privatization is directly responsible for the power shortages, the load-shedding. So, private owners reduce electricity generation to prevent falling into loss through debts owed to them. Or they reduce generation to only the more efficient power plants because they give a better profit, keeping less efficient power plants idle. So, even though Pakistan has over 20,000 MW installed capacity against a peak demand of 17,500 MW, less than half of that is produced, causing huge electricity shortages, twelve hours a day or even more, with people unable to cool themselves even by means of a fan in the scorching summer heat. And that is asides from these highly disruptive shortages destroying local industry.

As for "improving tariff policy" and "measures to improve the business climate," this is about increasing the price of electricity, so as to guarantee profits for the private owners of the power sector. The regime has already guaranteed profits on investment for private owners of power, by increasing the electricity charges many fold. It has also made sure that the private owners are paid from the revenues of the state, even when they are not generating electricity because of fuel shortages.

Electricity has become so expensive that there is now a huge circular debt owed to the private owners of power. Last summer, in July 2013, the regime paid Rupees 270 billion to the private power producers, the IPPs. This enormous amount also alerts the people to just how much wealth there is in power, which they will not see a single Rupee. And this year as the debt mounted yet again, the regime defaulted, and power was cut off to many government institutions on 29 April 2014, including to the Ministry of Water and Power itself!

And the rulers are privatizing the Ummah's resources, even though Islam has declared that energy is a public property for the Muslims. RasulAllah (saw) said, «المسلمون شرکاء فی ثلاث الماء والکلاء والنار» "Muslims are partners (associates) in three things: in water, pastures and fire (energy)." [Abu Dawood]. Thus under the Khilafah "Caliphate", with its Islamic constitution, the benefit of electricity will be for the public, with the state supervising the matter to ensure that.

Moreover, all of these loans are on interest, explicitly forbidden by Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw), which has prevented Pakistan from escaping the debt trap since its creation, even though it has paid back the principles of such loans many times over.

O Muslims of Pakistan!

Have you not had enough of regimes that openly collaborate with the colonialists, meeting their officials day and night, in all corners of the globe, to plot the robbing of your wealth and your drowning in misery? It is high time that you join your nights with your days in standing with the Shebaab of Hizb ut Tahrir to end this regime and return the Khilafah "Caliphate" to these lands of Pakistan, the Pure the Good. Only our Khilafah "Caliphate" will unleash huge revenues from the public properties, including Pakistan's abundant energy and mineral resources, as well as from private property that is owned primarily by the state, such as machinery and heavy munitions manufacturing, telecommunications, major construction and transport, as well as revenue from agriculture such as Kharaj, This will eliminate the need for foreign loans on interest forever, with all their conditions of misguidance and Kufr.

Know that the cause of the crippling economic hardship in Pakistan and throughout the Muslim World is the absence of the Islam as a Constitution, since the abolition of the Khilafah "Caliphate" state, in Rajab 1342 AH, corresponding to March 1924 CE. Moreover, we are ordered by Islam and are answerable to Allah (swt), for establishing a Bayah to a single Khaleefah for all Muslims, ruling by Islam comprehensively and exclusively. RasulAllah (saw) ordered that the Muslims give Bay'ah (Pledge of Allegiance) to only one Khaleefah at a time,

«لَا نَبِيَّ بَعْدِي وَسَيَكُونُ خُلَفَاءُ فَيَكْثُرُونَ قَالُوا فَمَا تَأْمُرُنَا قَالَ فُوا بِبَيْعَةِ الْأَوَّلِ فَالْأَوَّلِ أَعْطُوهُمْ حَقَّهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ سَائِلُهُمْ عَمَّا اسْتَرْعَاهُم»

"There is no Prophet after me, but there will be Khulaf'aa. They asked, "What do you order us to do?" He replied, "Give them bay'ah one after another, for Allah will ask them about what He entrusted them with." (Bukhari). Hizb ut Tahrir is ready to rule by Islam, having armies of capable politicians throughout the Muslim World, as well as an Islamic Constitution for implementation of 191 articles derived exclusively from the Quran and Sunnah. So it is upon us all to work with Hizb ut Tahrir to secure the return of the Khilafah "Caliphate".

O Officers of Pakistan's Armed Forces!

Your people have no life under Kufr today, look at them closely in their misery and suffering. Look closely, you who swore to give your lives for theirs, for now it is time to honor your oath. Deprive the Kufr rule and constitution of Democracy of your powerful support and allow it to be confined to the dustbin of history. End the Raheel-Nawaz regime by granting the Nussrah to Hizb ut Tahrir under its Ameer, the eminent jurist and statesman, Sheikh Ata Bin Khalil Abu Ar-Rashtah, to secure the return of the Khilafah "Caliphate" to these lands of Muslims, blessed with resources and noble sons and daughters of Islam.

[يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ]

"O you who believe! Answer the call of Allah and His Messenger when He calls you to that which gives you life..." [Surah Al-Anfal: 24]