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…
On Saturday, government officials and Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) leaders convened for the fifth round of talks aimed at resolving ongoing security concerns related to the party's planned long march. Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, along with Punjab Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique, headed the government delegation. The JI delegation was represented by Deputy Emir Liaquat Baloch, acting Secretary General Nazir Ahmad Janjua, and Special Assistant to the JI Emir Umair Idrees.
The JI chief, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, had already declared that the long march would proceed if the government did not abolish the petroleum levy, which currently stands at Rs114 per litre for petrol and Rs100 per litre for diesel. The government delegation assured the JI of forthcoming relief measures for the public, citing pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and an imminent IMF delegation visit.
The talks, which began on September 7, had thus far yielded no agreement. JI leaders vowed to continue their protests, including a "Super Long March" planned to begin in Karachi on Sunday, unless the government took concrete steps to address their demands.
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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