JI vows to continue sit-in until petroleum levy abolished

Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said on Sunday that the party’s sit-in against the petroleum levy and rising fuel prices would continue until the government accepted its demands.

Speaking to protesters outside the Punjab Chief Minister’s House, he warned that any attempt to stop the demonstration would transform it into a broader movement seeking the government’s removal.

Rehman criticised the government for increasing petrol prices while also imposing taxes on fuel, describing the petroleum levy as “extortionist”. He argued that the rulers should reduce their own expenditures and privileges instead of placing an additional financial burden on ordinary citizens. The JI chief reiterated his demand for petrol to be reduced to Rs225 per litre and for the petroleum levy to be abolished.

The JI leader also rejected the government’s proposal to form a ministerial committee for negotiations. He said the party had no need to receive a briefing from government representatives and challenged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to come directly to the protest site if he wanted to hold talks. Rehman maintained that JI would not travel to Islamabad simply to meet a government committee.

Rehman accused the federal and Punjab governments, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, of failing to address the problems faced by the public.

He said the JI had entered the second phase of its campaign for public rights after holding demonstrations at 510 locations across Pakistan on August 7. He added that major sit-ins were now underway outside the Governor Houses in Karachi and Peshawar, while large crowds had gathered at Lahore’s The Mall.

The JI emir said the party’s campaign was focused not on opposing any particular political party but on challenging inflation, injustice and policies that he described as harmful to the public. He highlighted the difficulties faced by ordinary families, including rising education and healthcare costs, and criticised what he called a class-based education system.

He also rejected the government’s argument that the petroleum levy was necessary because of commitments linked to the IMF programme, saying taxes should instead be recovered from privileged sections of society.

Rehman further criticised government spending on publicity and questioned the legitimacy of what he described as “Form 47” representatives. He said JI would continue its nationwide campaign until its demands were accepted and fundamental changes were made to the system. The party’s protests and sit-ins are continuing in Karachi, Peshawar, Lahore and other parts of the country, with Rehman vowing that the movement would not retreat.