KARACHI, AUG 16: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) began its latest round of protests and sit-ins in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta on Sunday against the petroleum levy, rising petroleum product prices and rising inflation.
The protests formed the next phase of the party’s nationwide campaign after demonstrations were held at hundreds of locations earlier this month.
In Lahore, JI workers continued their sit-in at Faisal Chowk on Mall Road. The protesters had marched along Mall Road before reaching Faisal Chowk near the Chief Minister’s House.
Punjab JI chief Javed Qasuri and other party leaders participated in the demonstration, while JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman also reached the sit-in.
Addressing the protesters, Hafiz Naeem said that a sit-in was also continuing outside the Governor House in Karachi. He criticised the government over rising petroleum prices and taxes, saying the rulers had created difficulties for the people.
Hafiz Naeem said the government was not only increasing petrol prices but also raising taxes. He described the petroleum levy as a “extortion tax” and “jagga tax”, and questioned how many landlords associated with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had paid taxes on their agricultural lands.
He also demanded that the government reduce the petrol price to Rs225 per litre.
“Bring the price of petrol down to Rs225,” the JI emir said.
He said the feudal system would not continue, accusing landlords of exploiting poor farmers. “There is a group imposed on us,” he said, criticising what he described as the government’s economic policies.
The JI emir also said the salaried class had paid around Rs700 billion in taxes, while questioning the distribution of the tax burden across different sections of society.
In Karachi, JI workers marched from different areas of the city towards Governor House. Led by JI Karachi chief Munim Zafar, the protesters reached Governor House and staged a sit-in outside against the petroleum levy and rising fuel prices.
Police were deployed around Governor House as protesters gathered in the area. Authorities said the road from Fawara Chowk towards the Press Club and Arts Council remained open to traffic.
In Peshawar, JI workers staged a sit-in outside the Governor House, leading to the closure of the road between Saddar and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Chowk. JI Deputy Emir Liaquat Baloch was scheduled to address the protesters.
The party also organised a sit-in in Quetta as part of its simultaneous protests across the four provinces. JI leadership had previously announced demonstrations outside the Punjab Chief Minister’s House and the governor houses in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Addressing a press conference in Peshawar on August 8, JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman had said the government was relying on the petroleum levy to generate revenue while shifting the burden onto ordinary citizens.
The party has demanded relief from high fuel prices and inflation and has also criticised what it describes as excessive privileges and spending by the ruling elite.
The latest protests followed JI’s nationwide demonstrations last week, when the party staged rallies, sit-ins and road blockades at hundreds of locations against inflation, rising fuel prices, the petroleum development levy and higher taxes.
The party said the protests were intended to increase pressure on the federal government to provide relief to people facing a growing cost-of-living burden.
