Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan (JI) chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman has announced simultaneous protests and sit-ins in 150 cities across the country on Friday against the petroleum levy and growing public concerns over its impact.
Addressing a gathering in Karachi, Hafiz Naeem demanded that the government abolish the petroleum levy, warning that the party would otherwise march towards Islamabad.
He said Jamaat-i-Islami was pursuing a major struggle for systemic change in Pakistan, stressing that its objective was not merely political point-scoring but serving the public and addressing their problems.
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Hafiz Naeem said JI’s competition was not with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), but in terms of development and public service in the nine towns where the party operates.
He also claimed that no political party in Pakistan was seriously addressing the issues faced by ordinary citizens.
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The JI chief said the party had launched a campaign against the petroleum levy to raise public awareness, adding that the issue had gained recognition among people across the country.
Previous Protests and Islamabad March
Jamaat-i-Islami has held several protests against the petroleum levy in recent months.
On August 16, the party announced sit-ins in all provincial capitals and called for a nationwide strike on September 3.
On September 20, JI launched a protest march towards Islamabad, warning that the demonstration could turn into a campaign to oust the government if the petroleum levy was not abolished.
However, on September 22, Hafiz Naeem announced that the party was postponing its long march after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif requested a meeting. At the time, the JI convoy had reached Multan.
The latest announcement signals a renewed push by the party to press the government to withdraw the levy, with the JI chief warning of further action if its demand is not met.
