SUKKUR: Jamaat-e-Islami Sukkur Emir Zubair Hafeez Sheikh, speaking at a press conference at the Sukkur National Press Club, criticized the government over rising petroleum prices and what he described as an unjust economic system.
He said whenever difficulties arise in Pakistan, the burden is ultimately placed on the public. According to him, the recent increase in petroleum prices has made it increasingly difficult for ordinary people to afford even basic food items such as lentils and vegetables.
Sheikh said the government attributes higher petrol prices to international market conditions, but argued that the petroleum levy could be reduced or abolished. He alleged that the public was being burdened with an excessive 33% levy while government officials continued to receive expensive facilities, including large official residences.
He said Pakistan is the world’s fifth-largest motorcycle-using country because many people lack adequate public transportation and are forced to rely on motorcycles for their daily travel.
The JI leader announced that the party has called for a nationwide strike on September 3, describing it as a public referendum against rising prices and economic policies.
He said JI representatives had contacted traders across the country and claimed that traders had assured them of their support for the September 3 strike.
Sheikh emphasized that the protest was not merely a Jamaat-e-Islami demonstration but a protest by the public. He urged citizens to participate in large numbers.
He further said government representatives had now contacted the party, but JI’s demand remained clear: the petroleum levy should be abolished and the government’s decisions should provide relief to the people.
He warned that if the public’s demands were not accepted, the situation could develop into what he described as a revolutionary situation.
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