JI chief warns talks with govt may end after 4th round if decision on abolishing petroleum levy delayed

KARACHI: Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Wednesday warned that ongoing talks with the government over the petroleum levy may end if the levy is not withdrawn soon.

The talks between the government and JI began on September 7 after the two sides agreed to form committees, comprising experts and leaders, to discuss recommendations for reducing the petroleum levy and providing relief to the public.

So far, three rounds of talks have been held, with the fourth round scheduled for 6pm today (Wednesday) in Islamabad.

According to a statement issued by the party, the JI chief spoke in Karachi earlier in the day, where he rejected the government’s fuel relief scheme and demanded that the levy be abolished, “rather than replaced with temporary relief schemes”.

“If the government continues delaying and does not abolish the petroleum levy, today’s talks will be the last round,” Rehman was quoted as saying, reiterating that the party will go ahead with its march to Islamabad on Sept 20.

As per the statement, Rehman said the government collected Rs1,567 billion through the petroleum levy annually but announced only Rs25bn in relief for the public.

He described the package as inadequate and questioned its proposed implementation through weekly fuel distribution, the statement added.

Rehman slammed “lockdown measures”. He added that the traders were “being pressured in the name of maintaining the system”.

As per the statement, Rehman “called for an end to the practice of revising petroleum prices daily”. He voiced concern at the “frequent revisions”, which he said created difficulties for consumers and businesses.

Speaking to the media, Rehman also outlined plans to hold “public meetings”, adding that a “large gathering” would be held in Karachi on Wednesday night, followed by rallies in Lahore on Thursday, and in Mardan and Peshawar on Friday.

“The Islamabad march will not stop,” he was quoted as saying. Rehman urged the government not to disrupt peaceful and democratic struggle, according to the statement.

Meanwhile, in a post on X, the party said that Wednesday’s round will be held in the Federal Secretariat at 6pm, with the JI delegation led by Liaquat Baloch and the government by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal.

The government’s team will also include Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani.

JI has been staging regular sit-ins in Lahore, Peshawar, Karachi and dozens of other locations across the country since August 16 to protest the levy and IPP agreements.

The government levies Rs114 per litre in taxes and duties on petrol and Rs100 per litre on diesel.

Last week, the JI chief had warned the government that the ongoing protest would march towards Islamabad on September 20 if the levy was not withdrawn.