Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has announced countrywide protests against the petroleum levy from tomorrow (Sunday), with protests set to begin at 4pm outside the Chief Minister’s House in Lahore and Governor Houses in Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore, JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman warned that any attempt by the government to obstruct the protests could turn the campaign into a movement to oust the government.
“We are announcing the start of sit-ins from August 16, but not their end,” he said, adding that the party would not remain silent over what he termed injustice against the public. Hafiz Naeem claimed the government had collected Rs1,567 billion from the people through petroleum levies, exceeding the amount stipulated under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.
He demanded that the government bring down the price of petrol to Rs225 per litre and fix the price of bread at Rs10.
The JI chief said the party had previously staged sit-ins at 510 locations without damaging public property.
He also called for a review of agreements with independent power producers (IPPs), reduction in electricity and gas prices, and an end to privileges enjoyed by the elite.
