Govt, JI talks end inconclusively as Islamabad seeks delay in long march over security threats
LAHORE: The fifth round of talks between the government and the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) concluded on Saturday, with the government seeking the postponement of the party’s planned long march due to security threats. The government delegation included Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Sanaullah and Punjab Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique. The JI delegation comprised Deputy Emir Liaquat…
LAHORE: After five rounds of discussions, the government and the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) failed to reach an agreement on Saturday regarding the government's planned long march. The government delegation, led by Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal and Punjab Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique, requested the JI to delay the long march due to security concerns.
However, the JI delegation, including Deputy Emir Liaquat Baloch and JI Lahore Emir Ziauddin Ansari, insisted that the march would proceed as planned until the government lifts the petroleum levy. Baloch warned that the long march would continue until the levy imposed on petrol (Rs114 per litre) and diesel (Rs100 per litre) is removed.
The government assured the JI that relief measures would soon be implemented, while also citing pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Baloch stated that the government must take concrete steps to address the public's concerns, and threatened to proceed with the long march if the government did not take action. The JI had been staging protests since August 16, demanding the removal of the petroleum levy.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
