Karachi strike over petrol levy draws mixed public reaction

KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) called for a shutter-down strike in Karachi on September 3 against the government’s decision to impose a petroleum levy, drawing mixed reactions from residents and traders across the city.

The strike call was aimed at protesting rising petrol prices and the additional financial burden on consumers. However, citizens interviewed by Dialogue Pakistan expressed differing views on whether shutting down businesses was an effective way to pressure the government.

Some residents said they did not support the strike because closing businesses for a day would cause significant financial losses. Others, however, said traders had little choice after the JI issued the call and that many had joined the protest.

One citizen argued that a strike was necessary to put pressure on the rulers, saying that continued public protests could force the government to take notice of growing public frustration. At the same time, he expressed doubts about whether those in power would actually be affected by the protest.

Another resident highlighted the growing cost of living, saying petrol prices were increasing almost every day while ordinary people were struggling to afford basic necessities such as food and clothing.

Public anger was also directed at the government over what residents described as excessive spending and preferential treatment for those in power. Citizens questioned the use of expensive vehicles, high-level security protocols and other privileges while taxes and the cost of essential commodities continued to rise.

“People have taken loans; why should the public pay for those debts?” one resident said, arguing that ordinary Pakistanis were already struggling to decide between buying fuel and purchasing food.

Some residents said that even if businesses remained closed, the strike would have little impact on the ruling elite, who they believed would continue enjoying their privileges while ordinary citizens and traders bore the economic losses.

Citizens also criticised what they described as unfair taxation and rising living costs, questioning how low-income families could survive under the increasing financial pressure.

Several residents called for petrol prices to be brought down significantly, with one suggesting that the price should be around Rs200 per litre.

The mixed reactions reflect growing frustration over inflation, fuel prices and taxation, but also concerns among business owners and workers about the economic cost of shutting down commercial activity.

The JI’s strike call came amid continued public concern over the impact of fuel prices and the government’s taxation policies on household budgets and businesses.