MULTAN: Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said on Tuesday that the party had postponed its long march until the first week of October at the request of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while making it clear that its protest campaign would continue.
Addressing a press conference in Multan, Hafiz Naeem said the JI was raising issues concerning the basic problems faced by the public and accused the government of using petrol prices and tax collection to conceal corruption.
He said sit-ins were continuing in 42 cities and that the party had already asked the government in writing to withdraw the levy, but received a negative response.
The JI chief said several meetings had been held with the government and the party had also launched a train march from Karachi to Rohri and onward to Multan as part of its campaign over public issues.
Hafiz Naeem said rising petroleum prices had created a difficult situation across the country, adding that the government’s relief package would benefit the government rather than address the concerns raised by the JI.
According to him, the prime minister had requested that the long march be postponed. He said the party would not withdraw from its protest movement and that sit-ins would continue.
“We will not stop,” Hafiz Naeem said, adding that the long march had been deferred until the first week of October.
He said the JI would seek written assurances from the government and would hold further talks with the prime minister after his return to the country.
Hafiz Naeem said the party’s agenda was not confrontation or disorder but relief for the people. He warned that if the government failed to provide relief, the long march would resume.
“Our Multan sit-in will continue,” he said, adding that the party would meet and negotiate with the government but would not abandon its long march.
