Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman has announced to postpone the long march towards Islamabad against the petroleum levy on the request of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The development came after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif contacted Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman and requested that the party postpone its long march towards Islamabad for a few days, as the two sides remain at odds over the petroleum levy.
The prime minister, who is currently in New York for the United Nations General Assembly session, offered to meet Hafiz Naeem after his return to Pakistan and hold further discussions on the issue.
According to reports from the JI side, Shehbaz Sharif said the government had already announced a relief package for the public and indicated that a better package could be announced following his meeting with the JI emir.
The telephone contact came as the JI’s protest movement against the petroleum levy entered another phase. The party’s long march began from Karachi and reached Multan on Tuesday, with the protesters planning to continue their journey towards Lahore and eventually Islamabad.
Hafiz Naeem told the prime minister that the government’s announced relief package was not acceptable to the JI and reiterated the party’s demand for the withdrawal of the petroleum levy. He said the party would continue its campaign over the issue.
The JI has previously rejected the government’s fuel relief measures, maintaining that temporary relief does not address its main demand of abolishing the petroleum levy. The party has held several rounds of talks with the government, but the negotiations have so far failed to resolve the dispute.
Hafiz Naeem said he would consult the JI leadership before responding to the prime minister’s request to postpone the march. The party’s central decision-making body, the Shura, is expected to consider the proposal before a decision is announced.
Meanwhile, the JI’s protest caravan has continued its journey. After travelling from Karachi by train, the march reached Multan, where Hafiz Naeem addressed supporters. The next stages are expected to involve travel through southern and central Punjab before the planned movement towards Islamabad.
The petroleum levy remains the central point of disagreement between the government and the JI. The party has maintained that the levy should be abolished, while the government has offered fuel-related relief measures.
The latest contact between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Hafiz Naeem comes as the government seeks further dialogue with the JI while its protest march continues towards the federal capital. The JI is expected to announce its next course of action after consultations with its leadership.
