JI announces nationwide strike on Sept 3 against petroleum levy

Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman announced on Thursday that his party would observe a nationwide strike on September 3 to protest the petroleum levy.

He warned that if the government failed to provide relief to the public, the party’s ongoing protest campaign could eventually turn into a long march towards Islamabad.

Speaking to participants of the JI sit-in outside the Punjab chief minister’s residence in Lahore, Rehman strongly criticized the government, accusing the rulers of lacking both a clear vision and the ability to govern effectively. He said the protest movement had expanded beyond three cities and was now being held in different parts of the country.

Rehman called on JI workers and supporters to step up their efforts and urged traders to participate in the September 3 strike to defend public interests. He also announced that a large public gathering would take place in Faisalabad on Friday, suggesting that the protests would become more intense in the days ahead.

Regarding the nationwide strike, the JI leader stressed that it would remain peaceful and said that no property would be damaged. At the same time, he maintained that the government would ultimately have to accept the demands of the people.

Rehman said the JI campaign extended beyond the current sit-ins and was part of a wider struggle against the petroleum levy, agreements with independent power producers (IPPs), and the flour mafia. He demanded that the petroleum levy be withdrawn and criticized what he described as unfair IPP agreements. He also called for reduced electricity and petrol prices for traders.

According to Rehman, earlier JI protests had resulted in some relief in electricity prices, and he argued that similar relief should now be provided on petroleum products.

Addressing the PIMS tragedy, Rehman blamed government negligence and poor management for the deaths of children. He questioned whether the authorities were capable of managing the country when they could not adequately handle emergencies within a major hospital.

He also raised concerns about the lack of proper safety arrangements at PIMS and questioned whether doctors and paramedical staff had received sufficient training to respond to emergencies and disasters. He said Pakistan lacked an effective nationwide system for disaster-response training.

Rehman further criticized PIMS for forming its own investigative committee after the prime minister had already established one to examine the incident. He suggested that the move could be an attempt to shift or avoid responsibility. He demanded a thorough investigation, arguing that suspending a single official would not be enough to resolve the matter.

The JI emir reiterated that his party’s sit-in was intended to fight for the rights of Pakistan’s approximately 250 million citizens. He said the state had a responsibility to ensure basic rights and facilities for the people, but successive governments had instead increased the burden of taxation on them.