Key Takeaways
- The government and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) agreed to hold technical-level talks on reducing petroleum levy and fuel prices.
- Both sides will form teams of experts to examine the issue and work out a feasible mechanism for providing relief to consumers.
- The discussions are scheduled to begin on Monday, with a hope of developing a workable solution within two weeks.
The government and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) have agreed to hold technical-level talks on reducing the petroleum levy and fuel prices, with both sides forming teams of experts to examine the issue and work out a feasible mechanism for providing relief to consumers.
The decision was announced at a press conference in Lahore on Thursday following a meeting between the JI leadership and a government delegation at Mansoorah.
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Prime Minister's Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, and Punjab Minister Khawaja Salman Rafiq represented the government, while JI emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman led the party delegation.
The government invited the JI to nominate experts to join the technical discussions, which are scheduled to begin on Monday. Ahsan said the two sides would examine the petroleum levy and other proposals and expressed hope that the technical teams would develop a workable solution within two weeks.
Sanaullah said the government was ready to consider feasible proposals put forward by the JI to reduce the burden on consumers. He said both sides wanted to provide relief to the public and that the discussions had been held in a positive atmosphere.
Rehman said the JI would continue its sit-ins against high petroleum prices while negotiations with the government proceeded simultaneously. He added that the party had already constituted its technical team and was ready to discuss the proposals with the government.
The JI team is led by Liaquat Baloch and includes Naveed Ali Baig, Ziauddin Ansari, Nasrullah Randhawa, and Faisal Shah.
Iqbal said the government delegation had visited Mansoorah on the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and that the government itself wanted petroleum prices to be reduced and relief provided to the people.
He further stated that the government had proposed forming a committee to identify a practical mechanism for providing relief through the petroleum levy and invited the JI to nominate experts so both sides could jointly work out a viable solution. 'The government will consider any feasible proposal,' he added.
The government will happily act upon recommendations put forward by these committees.
Ahsan Iqbal, Planning Minister
We requested them [JI] to form a team, and then we will negotiate on practical recommendations for relief.
Ahsan Iqbal, Planning Minister
