Jamaat-e-Islami chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has filed a petition in the Federal Constitutional Court challenging the petroleum levy and alleged injustices in the energy sector.
Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman stated that the petroleum levy, currently imposed at 42 to 43 percent on the ex-refinery price, has no relation to the retail prices of petroleum products. He criticized the government for collecting trillions of rupees in levy payments while the funds, originally meant for refinery upgrades, have not been used for their intended purpose. Due to the lack of refinery upgrades, Pakistan continues to rely on imported refined oil.
Hafiz Naeemur Rehman further highlighted that a levy of Rs 117 per liter is currently applied to petrol. He pointed out that daily, motorcyclists alone contribute hundreds of billions of rupees in levies and other taxes. In addition, capacity payments worth Rs 1,800 billion were collected in the electricity sector during the previous year.
He emphasized that the levy system is unfair and has imposed a significant financial burden on ordinary citizens, prompting the legal challenge in the highest court.
