Multan: Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman has said that his party is willing to suspend its protest for a few days at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s request, but stressed that the government must provide relief to the public.
Speaking at a press conference in Multan, Hafiz Naeem said he would meet the prime minister after his return to Pakistan to discuss the party’s demands.
He said Jamaat-e-Islami had been protesting for the past two months and could remain on the streets for several more months if necessary. If adequate relief was not provided, he said, the protest movement would continue into the first ten days of October, with workers set to reach Islamabad from different locations under Plans A, B and C.
Hafiz Naeem said the party’s objective was not to create disorder but to secure relief for the people. However, he warned that the long march would continue if the government failed to address their demands.
Calling the government’s petrol relief package insufficient, he said approximately Rs150 billion was being collected through the petroleum levy, while Rs25 billion had been allocated for relief.
He also said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had the right to hold a protest on September 27 and urged the government to engage with the party, noting that the Constitution guarantees citizens the right to peaceful protest.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif contacted Hafiz Naeem by telephone from New York and requested that Jamaat-e-Islami postpone its ongoing long march for a few days.
The prime minister said the government had announced a relief package for the public and that, upon his return, he would meet Hafiz Naeem and discuss further measures to provide greater relief to the people.
