JI chief warns govt of escalating protest against petroleum levy

LAHORE: Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman on Sunday warned the government that the party would expand its ongoing sit-ins into a nationwide movement, culminating in a shutter-down strike and a possible march on Islamabad if the petroleum levy was not withdrawn.

Addressing a press conference at the JI sit-in site in Lahore, Rehman said the protests in Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi had entered their eighth day and would continue until the government abolished the petroleum levy.

He announced that JI would establish protest camps across the country and call a nationwide shutter-down strike on 13 Rabi-ul-Awwal, followed by a march towards Islamabad if the government failed to respond to its demands.

“The rulers are squeezing the blood out of the people through forced levies and taxes,” Hafiz Naeem said, adding the government of protecting the privileges of the ruling elite while shifting the burden of its policies onto ordinary citizens.

JI Vice Emir Liaqat Baloch and Lahore Emir Ziauddin Ansari were also present at the press conference.

Rehman said that public pressure had forced the government to reduce the price of diesel by Rs32 per litre. He said oil mafias had been making excessive profits by charging consumers for imported diesel at rates linked to the cost of locally produced diesel.

On the issue of PTI founder Imran Khan, Hafiz Naeem said the government should comply with any judicial decision granting him relief for medical treatment. He said the former prime minister should be provided with the necessary medical facilities.

He criticised the government for raising petroleum prices even during a period of war and economic hardship, saying the people were being subjected to what he termed “petroleum bombs”.

The JI chief also said the government and sugar mafia were manipulating the sugar market. He said that 765,000 tonnes of sugar had been imported in collusion with vested interests without taxes, yet sugar prices continued to rise.

“Now that there is a surplus, sugar is being exported at lower prices,” he said, arguing that the episode demonstrated how powerful mafias were influencing government decisions.

Rehman said oil and sugar mafias were operating openly while basic food items, including flour, pulses and vegetables, had become increasingly unaffordable for ordinary families.

He rejected the suggestion that JI’s campaign was motivated by political ambitions, saying the party had taken to the streets to raise issues directly affecting the public.

“We have come out against the mafias. These sit-ins will continue,” he said, adding that the party would broaden its campaign through protest camps across the country.

Turning to agriculture, the JI emir criticised the government’s policies and said farmers were facing growing uncertainty as sugar mill owners were allegedly refusing to purchase their crops. He said the agricultural sector was in decline and Punjab had failed to achieve even half of its cotton production target.

Rehman declared the governments of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz imposed an excessive tax burden on citizens while retaining official privileges and lavish spending.

He said motorists were effectively paying a daily “ransom” through petroleum taxes and levies. According to him, petrol carried around Rs130 per litre in taxes, including an Rs80 petroleum levy.

He challenged Shehbaz Sharif to announce that no government official would be allowed to use a vehicle with an engine capacity exceeding 1,300cc.

“End the privileges and luxuries of the rulers and provide relief to the people,” he demanded.

Hafiz Naeem also dismissed the government’s committee formed to address the petroleum price issue, saying JI was not interested in receiving briefings from committees.

“Let the government come forward with a serious proposal and explain how prices will be reduced. We will talk if there is something serious, but the sit-ins will continue until the petroleum levy is abolished,” he said.

Defending JI’s protest strategy, he said the party was peaceful and did not seek to cause hardship to anyone. He added that the peaceful presence of citizens on roads had itself become a major challenge for the government.

“Our workers are ready to make every sacrifice for the cause,” he said.

Responding to criticism that petroleum prices had risen despite JI’s protests, Hafiz Naeem said those making such claims were effectively siding with the government.

“If we had not protested, diesel would not have become Rs32 cheaper,” he said, reiterating that the Rs80 petroleum levy on petrol would have to be abolished.

He said JI was in contact with all political parties but added that his party was the only political force consistently raising the public’s genuine economic grievances.

The JI emir also called on politicians to apologise to the nation for past attempts to bring down governments at someone else’s behest. He urged them to acknowledge their mistakes and seek forgiveness from the people.

Hafiz Naeem announced that JI would celebrate Eid Milad-un-Nabi on 12 Rabi-ul-Awwal at the sit-in sites, saying the protests were not merely political gatherings but part of a broader struggle for people’s rights.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026