Key Takeaways
- Jamaat-i-Islami refuses to cancel planned march to Islamabad unless government abolishes petroleum levy.
- Party chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman announces protest caravans will begin moving towards the capital on Sunday.
- Government determined to prevent rallies from disrupting traffic and normal flow of life in Islamabad.
Jamaat-i-Islami has dug its heels in over its planned march to Islamabad, refusing to call off the protest unless the government abolishes the petroleum levy, party chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman announced on Saturday.
The JI has been staging regular sit-ins in Lahore, Peshawar, Karachi, and dozens of other locations across the country since August 16, protesting the levy.
Rehman stated, 'If the rulers cannot abolish the levy, we cannot call off our march,' setting the stage for a potential standoff with the authorities.
The government, equipped with a recent Islamabad High Court ruling against activities that curtail the freedom of movement, is determined to prevent rallies from disrupting traffic and the normal flow of life in the federal capital.
Rehman promised peaceful protest and warned the government not to take any action against the protesters, adding, 'A public rally will be held in Karachi on Saturday night, before the caravans set out for Islamabad on September 20.'
The JI chief urged the government to present a concrete proposal for abolishing the petroleum levy, noting the party had already rejected the government’s fuel relief package as inadequate.
Under the government’s current relief scheme, eligible motorcycles, rickshaws, Qingqi rickshaws, and cars up to 800cc are to receive a subsidy of Rs100 per litre, subject to specified monthly limits.
Rehman criticized the government for failing to curb corruption and what he described as 'excessive official expenditure,' saying officials should reduce their own spending instead of asking the people to make sacrifices.
To absorb the economic impact of renewed tensions in the Middle East, the government has reintroduced austerity measures, reducing fuel provision for official vehicles by 50 per cent for a period of three months.
The JI’s protest movement has entered its 35th day, with more than 25 sit-ins continuing across the country. Rehman said the party had held peaceful demonstrations in 42 cities and claimed that the movement had now become a national issue.
He insisted, 'We are marching for the people with their support. There is no question of turning back,' noting that the number of sit-ins was being gradually reduced as part of the JI’s strategy for the Islamabad march.
The JI chief said the government had again contacted the party for talks, but repeatedly sought more time. 'If the government continues to delay, we will proceed with our planned march,' Rehman added.
If the rulers cannot abolish the levy, we cannot call off our march.
Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, Party Chief, Jamaat-i-Islami
A public rally will be held in Karachi on Saturday night, before the caravans set out for Islamabad on September 20.
Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, Party Chief, Jamaat-i-Islami
