Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has given the government 10 days to abolish the petroleum levy and provide substantial relief to people struggling with rising inflation. He warned that the party would resume its long march towards Islamabad in mid-November if the government failed to meet its demands.
Rehman announced the deadline after meeting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister’s House. The JI delegation urged the government to eliminate the petroleum levy and take effective measures to reduce the financial burden on the public.
Speaking after the meeting, the JI chief said the government had assured the party that relief measures would be considered. He added that technical committees had been given eight to 10 days to develop proposals aimed at addressing public concerns.
Rehman said the discussions had not failed, as both sides recognised the need to provide relief to people facing rising living costs. However, he stressed that negotiations would not prevent the party from continuing its protest campaign.
He warned that the government must take concrete steps by mid-November or face renewed demonstrations and a march towards the federal capital.
The JI chief reiterated that the immediate abolition of the petroleum levy remained his party’s primary demand. He described the levy as an unfair burden on consumers and argued that the government should prioritise public relief amid persistent inflation.
According to Rehman, the government had expressed concerns that removing the levy would create a revenue shortfall. Officials had also proposed reducing it gradually rather than abolishing it immediately.
Responding to a proposal to reduce the levy by Rs25 to Rs30 per litre, Rehman said the government had presented several options during the negotiations. However, he maintained that JI would not abandon its demand for the complete withdrawal of the levy.
He claimed that the party’s protest campaign had already contributed to a Rs32-per-litre reduction in diesel prices. He added that the government had agreed to consider extending relief, although the party would continue pressing for further measures.
Rehman said the campaign had highlighted growing public frustration over inflation, fuel prices and the rising cost of living. He warned that unresolved economic grievances could trigger a broader nationwide protest movement.
The JI chief also called for local government elections in Islamabad, urging the authorities to address public concerns and fulfil their commitments.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Senator Rana Sanaullah, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani. The JI delegation included party vice chief Liaquat Baloch, Deputy Secretary General Syed Farasat Shah and Islamabad chapter chief Nasrullah Randhawa.
A day before the meeting, Rehman had warned that JI would launch its march towards Islamabad in mid-November if the government failed to abolish the petroleum levy and provide adequate relief. Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, he said the party would continue its protests until its demands were accepted.
Although he acknowledged that the government had reduced petroleum prices following the protests, he maintained that the relief provided so far was insufficient to call off the planned march.
Rehman also criticised the imposition of an emergency in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, calling it a violation of human rights and demanding that the decision be withdrawn.
In September, the JI chief had agreed to postpone a planned long march from Karachi after the government requested more time to address the party’s demands.
