Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has launched sit-ins outside governors’ and chief ministers’ houses across the country to protest against the increase in petrol prices, the petroleum levy and rising inflation. A protest camp has also been set up outside the Governor’s House in Peshawar, where JI workers have begun their demonstration.
In Lahore, JI staged a sit-in at Charing Cross, demanding the withdrawal of the petroleum levy, a reduction in petrol prices and relief from inflation. The party has announced that its protests will continue indefinitely until its demands are accepted by the government.
Jamaat-i-Islami Ameer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman announced on Saturday that the party would hold protest sit-ins outside the Governor Houses in Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar, as well as the Chief Minister’s House in Lahore, on Sunday. The protests are being organised against the petroleum levy and other taxes imposed on petroleum products. Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said the party would continue its protest campaign to press the government to withdraw measures that have increased the burden on consumers.
JI Ameer alleged that the government was financing its expenditures at the expense of ordinary citizens while the ruling elite remained unwilling to give up their privileges. He claimed that around Rs130 per litre of petrol was being collected from consumers in the form of a petroleum levy, describing the charge as excessive.
Rehman also alleged that federal government expenditure, initially estimated at Rs800 billion, had increased to around Rs1 trillion. Questioning the government’s priorities, he said adequate public transport facilities were still unavailable, while the Punjab chief minister was using an aircraft reportedly worth Rs11 billion.
The JI chief maintained that his party had no personal agenda and had consistently raised issues affecting the public. He warned that if the government attempted to prevent the protests, JI would implement its “second plan” and expand the demonstrations to other parts of the country.