Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-e-Islami chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has announced a long march to Islamabad in mid-November, demanding the abolition of the petroleum levy and further relief on fuel prices.
Speaking to the media after meeting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday, Hafiz Naeem said the party would not postpone the march. He urged the government to announce a relief package before the protest begins.
He said the government and Jamaat-e-Islami had agreed to increase relief on petroleum products. However, the party wants the petroleum levy abolished, while the government has proposed providing relief in phases.
Hafiz Naeem said the government had requested another seven to 10 days for consultations. He added that Jamaat-e-Islami would continue negotiations but would proceed with the Islamabad march in mid-November.
The JI chief said the petroleum levy was placing a heavy burden on low-income and middle-class households. He also claimed that the party’s protests had pressured the government to offer fuel relief.
He warned that Jamaat-e-Islami could stage a sit-in if its demands were not met and called for a relief package that would provide meaningful financial support to the public.
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