JI chief warns govt of escalating protest against petroleum levy
LAHORE: Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman on Sunday warned the government that the party would expand its ongoing sit-ins into a nationwide movement, culminating in a shutter-down strike and a possible march on Islamabad if the petroleum levy was not withdrawn. Addressing a press conference at the JI sit-in site in Lahore, Rehman said the protests in Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi had…
Jamaat-e-Islami chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman has warned the government that its ongoing protests against the petroleum levy could escalate into a nationwide movement. Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Rehman stated that the protests in Lahore, Peshawar, and Karachi have entered their eighth day and would continue until the government withdraws the levy.
He announced plans to establish protest camps across the country and call for a nationwide shutdown on 13 Rabi-ul-Awwal, followed by a march to Islamabad if the government fails to respond to their demands. Rehman accused the government of exploiting ordinary citizens through forced levies and taxes, and criticized oil mafias for profiting from imported diesel.
He also criticized the government for raising petroleum prices during a period of war and economic hardship. The JI leader dismissed a government committee formed to address the issue, saying his party was not interested in their briefings and demanded an immediate reduction of petroleum taxes.
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