Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan (JI) has announced a petroleum levy protest today, Friday, with simultaneous protests and sit-ins in 150 cities across the country. The call was made by party chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman while he addressed a gathering in Karachi. The party wants the government to abolish the petroleum levy, a government charge on fuel that is added to the price buyers pay.
What the party has announced
Hafiz Naeem said the petroleum levy protest targets the levy itself as well as rising public concerns more broadly. He said the government must abolish the levy, and warned that the party would otherwise march towards Islamabad. He added that JI had launched a campaign to raise public awareness, and that people across the country were now familiar with the issue.
He said JI's aim was systemic change and public service, not merely political point-scoring. He also said the party's competition was not with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) but in development and public service. He further claimed that no political party in Pakistan was seriously addressing public issues.
Earlier steps and the postponed march
The petroleum levy protest has moved through several stages since Aug 16. On that date JI announced sit-ins in all the provincial capitals against the levy, and it called for a nationwide strike on Sept 3. On Sept 20, the party launched a protest march towards Islamabad, warning that if the government failed to abolish the levy, the protest could turn into one aimed at ousting the government.
On Sept 22, the JI emir, the party's leader, said his convoy had reached Multan and that the long march was being postponed at the request of Prime Minister Shehbaz, pending a meeting with him. The announcement does not say whether that meeting has taken place, or how today's protests relate to the postponed march. Beyond today's protests and the warning of a march on Islamabad, no further steps are set out.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- Aug 16: JI announced sit-ins in all provincial capitals against the petroleum levy.
- Sept 3: The party called for a nationwide strike.
- Sept 20: JI launched a protest march towards Islamabad.
- Sept 22: The JI emir said the convoy had reached Multan and the long march was postponed at PM Shehbaz's request.
- Friday (today): Protests and sit-ins were announced in 150 cities.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Jamaat-i-Islami ne aaj, Friday ko, mulk ke 150 shehron mein petroleum levy ke khilaf protest aur sit-ins ka elaan kiya hai. Party chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman ka mutalba hai ke levy khatam ki jaye, warna party Islamabad ki taraf march karegi. Is se pehle 22 September ko long march PM Shehbaz ki darkhast par muattal kiya gaya tha. Is elaan mein petrol ki nayi qeemat ka zikr nahi hai.
