Naeem questions train delay as JI caravan departs Sukkur for 'phase 2' of protest march

Jamaat-i-Islami chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman criticized the delay of a train carrying his protest caravan on Monday. The train, Shalimar Express, was scheduled to depart from Sukkur to Multan as part of the party's "second phase" of a protest march to Islamabad. Rehman questioned the four-hour delay, suggesting it was a reflection of the federal government's inability to address his party's demands, particularly the abolition of the petroleum levy.

The protest began on Sunday, with the party traveling from Karachi to Sukkur. Rehman warned that if the government did not withdraw the petroleum levy, the protest could shift its objective to ousting the government. He attributed the delay to a faulty engine, which caused the train to depart from Karachi late and subsequently delay its arrival in Sukkur.

Rehman reiterated his demand for a reduction in petrol prices, stating that the allocated funds for subsidised fuel would likely go unused due to the lack of registered motorbikes. He also criticized the PPP for allegedly obstructing the train march and supporters seeking to welcome the caravan in Sukkur.