‘Patience has run out’: JI warns of shutdown, Islamabad march if petroleum levy not abolished
LAHORE: Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Tuesday once again warned of a nationwide shutdown, road blockades and a march on Islamabad if the government failed to withdraw the petroleum levy. Addressing a press conference at the JI sit-in outside the Punjab chief minister’s House in Lahore, Rehman said the protests had entered their 10th day and were gaining momentum across the…
Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan (JI) leader Hafiz Naeemur Rehman warned of a nationwide shutdown and a planned march in Islamabad if the government does not withdraw the petroleum levy. Addressing reporters at a press conference in Lahore, Rehman stated that protests have been ongoing for 10 days and are gaining traction nationwide. He emphasized that people's patience has reached its limit and demanded the immediate removal of the petroleum levy and other unjustified taxes.
The JI party plans to announce the date for a nationwide strike on 13th Rabi-ul-Awwal, with protests continuing during Eid Miladun Nabi celebrations. Rehman claimed the party has mobilized people across all four provinces and pledged to expand the campaign if their demands are not met. Rehman criticized the government for failing to address economic issues and for shifting the burden of the state's failures onto ordinary citizens.
He called for a forensic audit of coal imported for independent power producers (IPPs) and demanded an independent investigation into alleged irregularities. Rehman also criticized the political system, referring to the ruling coalition as a "Form-47 product" that has failed to resolve problems facing ordinary Pakistanis.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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