Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Sunday launched the party’s Petroleum Levy protest march from Karachi to Islamabad, demanding the withdrawal of the charge and relief for consumers. Speaking to party workers at Karachi’s Cantonment Station before the departure, Hafiz Naeem said the government had only one option left: provide relief to the public. He said the protest would continue until the petroleum levy was withdrawn. The JI chief has repeatedly described the levy as an “extortion” or “goon” tax, terms that reflect the party’s position. The government has defended its fuel taxation policy while negotiations with the JI have failed to produce an agreement. Hafiz Naeem said the march would first travel to Hyderabad before continuing towards Islamabad. The party has described the latest mobilisation as the “final call” in its campaign against the petroleum levy. He accused the government of forcing people onto the streets by failing to provide meaningful relief during negotiations. Riyadh Missile US warns Saudi-Houthi fighting could escalate rapidly “If the levy is not withdrawn, the protest will intensify,” he warned, according to the JI account of his remarks. He also suggested that the campaign could eventually develop into a movement seeking to remove the government. The JI has held protests and sit-ins in dozens of cities as part of its campaign. The party says the movement is aimed at securing economic relief for ordinary Pakistanis rather than advancing its own interests. The train march is scheduled to pass through several stations in Sindh before continuing towards Punjab. The party has announced public receptions and addresses along the route. According to the schedule announced by the JI, the caravan will leave Rohri for Multan on September 21. Hafiz Naeem is expected to address participants there before the train phase concludes. A road caravan will then travel from Multan towards Lahore on September 22. The final leg towards Islamabad is scheduled to begin on September 23, with the party expecting participants to reach the capital on September 23 and 24. The JI chief previously said supporters would arrive in Islamabad from different parts of the country but insisted that the party did not intend to block roads. The march follows five rounds of talks between the JI and the federal government. The latest round ended on Saturday without a final agreement, with the withdrawal of the petroleum levy remaining a major point of disagreement. The government recently introduced a fuel relief scheme offering a Rs100-per-litre subsidy on limited quantities of petrol for motorcycles, rickshaws, three-wheelers and vehicles with engines up to 800cc. The JI rejected the scheme, arguing that it did not address its demand for abolition of the petroleum levy. Hafiz Naeem has also criticised the absence of comparable relief on diesel, arguing that diesel prices have a wider impact on transport and economic activity. Those remarks reflect the JI’s position on the fuel policy. The protest campaign now enters a new phase as the party takes its demands directly to the federal capital. The government and JI have yet to reach an agreement on the levy. Post navigation Haramain Defence Pakistan religious leaders pledge support for Saudi Arabia Fuel Relief Scheme Government expands petrol subsidy and removes five-litre token limit
