Summary Hafiz Naeemur Rehman criticised petroleum levy as economic exploitation, claiming excessive fuel taxes were burdening Pakistan’s poor and salaried classes.
MUZAFFARABAD (Dunya News) - Jamaat-e-Islami chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman criticised the government over petroleum levy taxes, saying the public was being subjected to “painful taxation” in the name of fuel levies.
In a statement posted on X, the Jamaat-e-Islami chief said the government was collecting Rs117 in levy on every litre of petrol even from poor citizens eligible for zakat.
Hafiz Naeem said charging Rs117 per litre in petroleum levy was “the height of oppression” and amounted to the economic destruction of poor people.
He said it had become nearly impossible for limited-income salaried individuals to manage their monthly expenses due to rising taxes and inflationary pressure.
The Jamaat-e-Islami chief claimed that more than Rs1,200 billion had been collected through petroleum levy during the first nine months of the current fiscal year.
He added that the total levy collection could rise to Rs1,700 billion by June 30.
Hafiz Naeem further said Jamaat-e-Islami had challenged the petroleum levy in the constitutional court and urged the judiciary to take action against what he termed an unconstitutional tax exceeding legal limits.
