Bashir Hussain Azad
Chitral, July 28, 2026: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Lower Chitral has announced a complete closure of all major and minor roads in the district on August 7 as part of a nationwide protest against the petroleum levy and rising inflation.
The announcement was made by JI Lower Chitral Emir Wajihuddin at a press conference at the Chitral Press Club. District Secretary Abdul Haq, former village chairman Abdul Haq, Shuja-ul-Haq Baig, Ziauddin, Hussain Ahmad, Iftikharuddin, Jahanzeb, Ziaur Rahman and Irfan Aziz were also present.
The JI leader said the protest was being held in response to a call by central JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman. He appealed to the people of Chitral to come out of their homes and participate in the protest against what he described as injustice and excessive taxation.
He said that the government was collecting Rs120 per litre as petroleum levy, amounting to around Rs1,800 billion, and said the levy had contributed significantly to rising prices across the country.
According to him, abolishing the levy could bring petrol and diesel prices down to around Rs220 per litre. He also criticised the burden being imposed on consumers in the name of independent power producers (IPPs), alleging that an additional Rs2,700 billion was being recovered from the public.
The JI leader said his party was pursuing what he described as the five per cent elite who had allegedly deprived the remaining 95 per cent of the population of their rights. He said the August 7 road blockade in Chitral would be part of the nationwide movement.
He warned the government against using force or taking retaliatory action against JI workers, saying such measures could further intensify the protest movement.
Unannounced Loadshedding
Speaking about local issues, the JI leader demanded that PESCO immediately end unannounced loadshedding in Chitral.
He said the people of Chitral regularly paid their electricity bills and pointed out that around 108 megawatts of electricity are generated in Chitral itself.
He termed widespread loadshedding despite local power generation an injustice to the people.
He suggested that electricity should be disconnected only from consumers with outstanding bills instead of subjecting entire areas to power cuts.
Probe into Development Funds
The JI leader also said his party would continue its campaign against alleged corruption in public funds.
He demanded that the Lower Chitral deputy commissioner make public the inquiry report concerning the Communication and Works (C&W) Department. He also called for a transparent investigation into alleged irregularities involving Rs370 million in Chitral beautification funds.
Criticising the provincial government, he alleged that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had governed the province for the past 13 years but had failed to complete any major development project in Chitral.
He expressed hope that the people of Chitral would respond strongly to the August 7 call and make the protest a successful and historic one.