JI keeps long march option open over petrol levy

ISLAMABAD: The Jamaat-i-Islami party has maintained its commitment to the long march advocating for substantial cuts in petroleum prices. Their leader, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, expressed the party's unwavering stance, stating they would not relinquish their right to march on Islamabad until the petroleum levy is abolished. During a press conference on Wednesday, Rehman warned that the protest campaign would intensify if the government fails to provide relief.

"The long march was temporarily halted for a few days at the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's request," Rehman noted, adding that he would meet with the prime minister post his return to Pakistan. The outcome of this meeting will determine the party's next course of action. Rehman reiterated the party's refusal to back down from their political and constitutional struggle, dismissing any criticism.

He further asserted that PTI founder Imran Khan was a political prisoner and claimed that the party believed PTI workers were being unjustly treated. The government should abolish the petroleum levy, or else the people would rise up against the current administration, Rehman insisted. He rejected the government's claim that the petroleum levy was essential for meeting IMF requirements, arguing that the government should instead reduce its expenditures and broaden the tax base.

The JI chief noted that consumers are currently paying approximately Rs140 per liter in taxes on petrol, deeming this burden intolerable. Since August, the JI has been organizing sit-ins and protests against the petroleum levy, initiating road blockades at 510 locations before transitioning to sit-ins at 42 sites nationwide on August 16.

The campaign evolved into a train march aimed at Islamabad, commencing on September 20. Initially paused following a conversation between Rehman and the Prime Minister, the long march would resume, with the JI continuing their protests and holding public meetings during this period, including in Lahore and other cities. Calls for spending cuts were part of the JI's negotiation with the government, with proposals such as reducing the interest rate by three percentage points to save the national exchequer by over Rs1.5 trillion.

Rehman also advocated for the elimination of taxes on large landowners, terminating capacity payments to independent power producers, and combating corruption within the Federal Board of Revenue.