LAHORE (Dunya News) - Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has announced a major public rally at Minar-e-Pakistan on November 29 as part of its ongoing campaign against the petroleum levy and rising fuel costs.
JI Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman announced the decision while addressing a press conference at the party's headquarters in Mansoorah, Lahore. He reaffirmed that the party would not withdraw its protest until the government abolished the petroleum levy.
He said protests and negotiations with the government would continue simultaneously. The party will also hold a major public gathering in Quetta on November 22, followed by rallies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Karachi.
Hafiz Naeem claimed that Jamaat-e-Islami's campaign against rising petroleum prices had begun producing results, adding that the government's relief measures were the outcome of pressure exerted by the party.
However, he maintained that further steps were needed to provide meaningful relief to the public. Referring to the government's announcement that approximately 15 million people would receive financial relief, he demanded that the benefits also be extended to owners of vehicles with engine capacities of up to 1,300cc, in addition to those with 800cc vehicles.He also called for relief for farmers using tractors and operators of public transport.
JI Proposes Shifting Petroleum Levy to Larger Vehicles
The JI chief revealed that nine rounds of negotiations had taken place between the party and the government.
According to him, government representatives had described the petroleum levy as an issue linked to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
He said the party had submitted clear proposals seeking the abolition of the levy. JI has proposed increasing import duties on larger vehicles and shifting the petroleum levy burden to their owners instead of placing it on ordinary consumers.
Hafiz Naeem claimed that the government had previously indicated that petrol prices could reach Rs1,000 per litre, but prices had started declining following Jamaat-e-Islami's campaign.
He further argued that owners of vehicles with engine capacities exceeding 1,800cc largely belonged to influential circles and should bear a greater share of the tax burden.
JI Chief Accuses Government and Opposition of Protecting Powerful Cartels
The JI emir also criticised what he described as powerful business cartels operating in Pakistan's oil refining, sugar, gas, flour and independent power producer (IPP) sectors.
He alleged that these groups benefited at the expense of ordinary citizens and claimed that both the government and opposition were part of a system that protected their interests.
Hafiz Naeem also criticised the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, accusing it of damaging the province's agriculture and education sectors.
Questioning the state of education, he asked why 52 percent of students had failed their ninth-grade examinations, despite the chief minister's public appearances and photographs with schoolchildren.
The Jamaat-e-Islami chief reiterated that his party would continue its protests and negotiations until its demands for petroleum levy reforms and public relief were addressed.