By Our Correspondent
LAHORE: Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has warned that the party could restart its long march towards Islamabad if the government fails to abolish the petroleum levy, saying the party’s campaign for relief to consumers will continue.
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Speaking at a press conference at the JI’s Mansoorah headquarters in Lahore on Thursday, Rehman said the party had temporarily paused its march following a request from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif but had not withdrawn its demand for the complete removal of the petroleum levy.
He said the JI would judge the government by the relief provided to the public rather than by whether a meeting with the prime minister took place.
Rehman said that if the government failed to take concrete steps, the party would restart its march from Multan, with workers and supporters from different parts of the country joining the movement towards Islamabad.
He said the party was continuing its public campaign through rallies, meetings and a nationwide signature drive. According to him, the JI planned to collect more than 20 million signatures in support of its demand for the withdrawal of the petroleum levy.
The JI leader also rejected the government’s position that commitments under the International Monetary Fund programme made it difficult to remove the levy. The government and JI had earlier agreed to form technical committees to examine ways of reducing the petroleum levy and providing relief to consumers. (Dawn)
The federal government currently collects taxes and duties on petroleum products, including Rs114 per litre on petrol and Rs100 per litre on diesel, according to figures cited in the reports. (DAWN)
Rehman also criticised government spending on various projects and raised questions about expenditure on official facilities and vehicles. He argued that the government should review its spending priorities while seeking to reduce the financial pressure on ordinary citizens.
He further criticised electricity-related charges and payments to independent power producers, saying consumers were already facing a heavy financial burden.
The JI chief also spoke about the deaths of three Pakistanis in a recent incident involving pirates and Somali security forces. He called for the bodies to be brought back to Pakistan and for financial assistance to be provided to the families.
On the political situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Rehman opposed any move towards governor’s rule or emergency measures. He called for political dialogue between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), saying differences should be addressed through negotiations.
He said the JI was willing to play a role in facilitating dialogue if the parties agreed to such an initiative.
The JI has been holding protests and sit-ins in different parts of the country as part of its campaign against the petroleum levy. The party’s Islamabad march was postponed after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif contacted Rehman and sought additional time for discussions. (Dawn ePaper)
Rehman said the pause in the march should not be interpreted as an end to the campaign and maintained that the party would decide its next step based on the government’s response.