JI gives govt 10 days to abolish petroleum levy, threatens to resume Islamabad march in mid-November

Jamaat-i-Islami leader Hafiz Naeemur Rehman announced on Tuesday that his party will march to Islamabad in protest of the petroleum levy in mid-November if the government fails to announce relief measures by then. Rehman made the announcement during a press conference in Islamabad, following a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss his demand for the abolition of the levy.

The JI chief emphasized that they would not postpone their Islamabad march any longer, emphasizing that it would take place in mid-November. He stated that he would be satisfied if the government provided relief and devised a mechanism to abolish the levy before then, but if the government did not act, they would hold a sit-in protest in Islamabad.

Rehman noted that while both sides agreed to expand the scope of relief, they disagreed on the "modalities" and "procedure" for implementing it. He claimed that his party would continue its preparations and begin nationwide mobilisation for the planned march to Islamabad, while negotiations would also continue with the government.

Rehman also claimed credit for a relief scheme launched by the government in mid-September, asserting that their protests had put pressure on the government to take action.