Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman has announced that the party will stage peaceful sit-ins at 510 locations across the country on Friday in protest against the petroleum levy, inflation, and rising petroleum product prices. He said traffic on major highways would be blocked during the demonstrations, while ambulances would be allowed to pass.
Addressing a protest organized by the Jamaat-e-Islami Women’s Wing on Wahdat Road in Lahore against inflation and the increase in petroleum product prices, Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman warned that the party would expand its protest movement if any attempt was made to obstruct the demonstrations.
He demanded that the government abolish the petroleum levy and fix the price of petrol at Rs225 per litre.
Hafiz Naeem said the petroleum levy has a direct impact on the prices of essential commodities and that inflation is severely affecting ordinary citizens, particularly women. He added that the government has increased the tax burden on the public while failing to reduce its own expenditures.
He also alleged that despite a decline in global oil prices, the government had not reduced domestic petroleum product prices proportionately. He further claimed that the revenue collected through the petroleum levy had not been spent on improving the country’s energy sector infrastructure.
According to Jamaat-e-Islami’s announcement, nationwide sit-ins and demonstrations will begin at 4:00 pm on Friday, August 7. Major protest locations include Qurtaba Chowk in Lahore, Sharea Faisal in Karachi, Faizabad (26 Number Chungi) in Islamabad, Motorway Toll Plaza in Peshawar, Chungi No. 6, Bosan Road in Multan, Meezan Chowk (Ghazri Road) in Quetta, Barat Bagh, Murree Road in Rawalpindi, Chakdara Interchange in Swat, and the Indus Highway in Karak.
Hafiz Naeem reiterated that demonstrations would be held at a total of 510 locations across different districts of the country and emphasized that all protests would remain peaceful.
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