Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has asked Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) for another 7 to 10 days to address its demand to abolish the petroleum levy, JI chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad after meeting the prime minister, Hafiz Naeem said the party would not postpone its march on Islamabad any further.
The march will now take place in mid-November if the government fails to abolish the levy and give relief to the public.
“We will not postpone our Islamabad march any longer. It will take place in mid-November, and it certainly will take place,” he said.
Disagreement Over How to End the Levy
The JI chief said both sides agreed on expanding the scope of relief for the public but differed on the procedure. According to him, the government wants to phase out the levy gradually, while JI wants it removed immediately.
He claimed the government earns around Rs. 150 billion every month through the petroleum levy and called it “extortion” at a time when people are struggling with inflation.
Hafiz Naeem said the government should announce a relief package and devise a mechanism to end the levy before the march. Otherwise, JI was “prepared for anything,” he added.
Who Attended the Meeting
The JI delegation included Deputy Emir Liaquat Baloch, Deputy Secretary General Syed Farasat Shah, and Islamabad chapter chief Nasrullah Randhawa.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Senator Rana Sanaullah, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, and Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani were also present.
JI has been protesting against the levy for over two months as fuel prices remain high. In September, the party postponed its long march at the prime minister’s request after its convoy reached Multan.
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