KARACHI: A Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) sit-in outside the Governor House against the petroleum levy, taxes and agreements with independent power producers (IPPs) entered its 22nd day on Sunday, as traders and residents joined the protest, raising economic and civic grievances.
JI Karachi chief Monem Zafar Khan said the withdrawal of the petroleum levy was among the main demands of the campaign, which he said was continuing “from Karachi to Kashmore and Gwadar to Chitral”. He claimed about Rs80 was being collected as petroleum levy on each litre of petrol and that other taxes had pushed the total burden on consumers above Rs130 per litre.
“From Karachi to Kashmore, the people have one voice: the injustice being inflicted in the name of inflation and taxes will not be tolerated,” he said adding that the JI sought an end to inflation, unjust taxes and what he called an exploitative economic system. He said the party’s first round of talks with the government’s negotiating team would begin on Monday. “We hope the talks will result in relief for the people on petroleum levy, IPPs and inflation,” he said.
A delegation of traders led by Karachi Traders Ittehad president Atiq Mir met Monem Zafar and congratulated him on the Sept 3 strike against the levy. The delegation included Electronics Market Association president Rizwan Irfan, Hyderi Market Association chairman Syed Faraz Ahmed, Cooperative Market president Mohammad Aslam Khan and Small Traders Association president Mahmood Hamid. They presented him with a shield.
A delegation of Scheme 33 residents from Gulzar-i-Hijri, led by Public Aid Committee District East president Syed Qutb Ahmed, also visited the camp and raised land-related grievances. Monem Zafar assured the delegation that the JI would intensify its campaign against what it called the land-grabbing mafia. Residents of Karachi’s goths and their families also attended the protest and highlighted problems facing their settlements. Ayub Khaskheli presented a resolution condemning what speakers described as injustices in Sindh.
JI Sindh deputy chief Hafiz Nasrullah Aziz said the petroleum levy was a national issue and vowed to continue the campaign until it was withdrawn.
JI Sindh deputy secretary Hizbullah Jhakhro alleged that billions of rupees were being collected through the levy while the ruling elite enjoyed public money. He also alleged that corruption and the accumulation of overseas properties by the elite had deprived people of basic facilities.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026