GUJRANWALA: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has announced that his party will hold a march towards Islamabad on September 20 as part of its campaign against inflation and rising petroleum prices.
Addressing a public gathering in Gujranwala, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that there was currently no one willing to speak openly about the problems facing Pakistan and its people.
He blamed what he described as a small privileged segment of society for the difficult economic conditions being faced by ordinary citizens.
The JI chief criticized the government’s justification for rising petrol prices, particularly its reference to fluctuations in international markets. He questioned why consumers were being burdened with heavy taxes and petroleum levies if international market prices were being cited as the main reason for increases at the pumps.
“Tell us why there are levies and heavy taxes,” he said while addressing the gathering.
Hafiz Naeem also questioned the pricing mechanism for locally produced oil. He alleged that locally produced petroleum was being sold to consumers at prices comparable to imported oil, arguing that the policy placed an additional burden on the public.
The JI emir further criticized the government for saying that it was helpless and could not reduce petrol prices. He said the government had repeatedly sought more time from the party’s negotiating team over its demands.
According to Hafiz Naeem, the government had continued to ask for additional time instead of taking concrete measures to provide relief to consumers.
He announced that Jamaat-e-Islami would therefore proceed with its planned march towards Islamabad on September 20.
The announcement marks another phase in the party’s ongoing campaign against petroleum levies, inflation and rising living costs.
Jamaat-e-Islami has been holding protests and sit-ins in different cities across the country over the past 27 days. The demonstrations have focused primarily on petroleum levies, high electricity and fuel costs, taxation and the broader impact of inflation on households.
The party has repeatedly demanded relief for ordinary consumers and changes to government policies that it says have increased the financial burden on the public.
Hafiz Naeem’s latest announcement suggests that the campaign will now move toward a larger national-level protest in the federal capital.
The September 20 march is expected to bring JI supporters from different parts of the country toward Islamabad. The party has been mobilizing its workers and supporters through public meetings and demonstrations as part of its campaign.
Addressing the Gujranwala gathering, the JI chief said the economic difficulties facing citizens could not simply be explained by developments in the international oil market. He argued that domestic taxes, levies and pricing policies also played a major role in determining the final price paid by consumers.
He called for greater transparency in the pricing of petroleum products and questioned the rationale behind imposing high taxes on consumers already struggling with inflation.
The JI has maintained that the government should reduce the financial burden on ordinary citizens rather than repeatedly citing international market conditions as a justification for higher prices.
The party’s protests have continued for nearly a month in several cities, making the issue of petroleum prices and inflation a prominent part of its political campaign.
Hafiz Naeem said the government’s repeated requests for additional time had failed to resolve the issues raised by the party. He therefore confirmed that the planned march toward Islamabad would take place on September 20.
The announcement could increase political pressure on the government as it faces growing public concern over inflation and the cost of essential goods and services.
The JI leadership has urged its workers and supporters to participate in the upcoming march and continue raising their concerns over the economic conditions faced by ordinary Pakistanis.
The party’s campaign is centered on the argument that government taxation and petroleum levies are contributing significantly to the rising cost of living.
Hafiz Naeem also criticized what he described as an unfair petroleum pricing mechanism, particularly the practice of charging consumers for locally produced oil at rates linked to imported petroleum.
He called for policies that would provide meaningful relief to consumers and reduce the burden of taxes and levies.
The September 20 march will now become the next major event in Jamaat-e-Islami’s ongoing protest campaign. The party’s leadership has indicated that it intends to continue its pressure campaign until its demands are addressed.
With protests already continuing in various parts of the country for 27 days, the Islamabad march is expected to draw further attention to the JI’s demands concerning petrol prices, petroleum levies and inflation.
The government has yet to announce its response to the latest call for a march toward Islamabad.
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