JI warns of countrywide strike if recent petrol price hike not withdrawn

Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan (JI) leader Hafiz Naeemur Rehman warned the government on Tuesday that they could trigger a nationwide strike if the recent increase in petrol and diesel prices was not immediately reversed. Speaking at a press conference during the third day of a sit-in outside the Punjab chief minister’s House, Rehman expressed public outrage over the growing cost of living, stating that people were already burdened with heavy taxes on every litre of fuel.

He demanded that the government reduce fuel prices, eliminate the petroleum levy, and lower the price of petrol to Rs225 per litre. Rehman also announced that women and lawyers would join the ongoing protests. He emphasized that JI was not fighting for its own interests, but for the rights of the people. Rehman criticized the government's heavy reliance on fuel levies and taxes on electricity and gas bills, as well as widespread corruption within the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

He also lambasted successive governments for signing costly agreements with independent power producers (IPPs), claiming that JI's previous protests had led to the review of some of these arrangements. The JI chief demanded similar action on agreements with the remaining IPPs. Rehman further criticized Punjab and Sindh governments over education, health, and agriculture, citing the outsourcing of thousands of schools in Punjab and the deteriorating education system in Sindh.

He criticized the political system, stating that the PML-N, PPP, and MQM-P were benefiting from the current setup and called for empowered local governments with respect for constitutional provisions. JI sit-ins continued in Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar, with the Lahore Bar Association announcing its support for the Lahore protest.