Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman has announced to continue the protest against the petroleum levy. He demanded from the government to end the levy and bring the price of petrol to Rs 225 per litre.
Hafiz Naeem, addressing the sit-in at Faisal Chowk Mall Road, Lahore, said that Jamaat-e-Islami will continue the protest till its demands are accepted. He also mentioned the ongoing sit-in outside the Governor House in Karachi.
Hafiz Naeem vehemently opposed the petroleum levy. He called it an additional financial burden on the people and also raised questions on the government’s tax policy.
He said that the government has also transferred various taxes along with the price of petrol to the people. He called for the withdrawal of the petroleum levy and direct relief to the consumers.
The Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer also voiced concerns over the government committee. According to him, Jamaat-e-Islami will not go to Islamabad for any briefing. The government should go to the protest site and discuss the demands, he said.
Jamaat-e-Islami’s protest campaign
Jamaat-e-Islami has expanded the scope of its protests against the petroleum levy and inflation in recent days. On August 16, sit-ins and protests were held in various cities, including Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar.
In Lahore, the protests were held around Faisal Chowk and Mall Road. In Peshawar, the workers of Jamaat-e-Islami held a sit-in in front of the Governor House. Protest activities are also ongoing in Karachi.
Hafiz Naeem has previously demanded protests against the prices of petroleum products, levies and taxes. Bringing the price of petrol to Rs 225 per litre is one of the key demands of Jamaat-e-Islami.
Current petrol price reduction
The price of petrol has also decreased in recent days. The new price was set at Rs 324.98 per liter on August 13. The price was Rs 325.92 a day earlier.
Earlier, on August 8, the price of petrol was fixed at Rs 327.62 per liter. The government had fixed the price of high speed diesel at Rs 380.86 per litre at that time.
But Jamaat-e-Islami says the current prices are still too high for the common man. The party wants a further reduction in the price by abolishing the petroleum levy.
The government faces a financial challenge.The government is facing a financial challenge.
The government’s revenue is a significant source of the petroleum levy. The government has targeted to collect approximately Rs 1.7 trillion from this for the financial year 2026-27.
For this reason, the complete abolition of the levy may have an impact on the federal finances. The government has to give relief to the public on one hand. However, it also needs to achieve its revenue goals.
Petrol price hikes don’t just affect private cars. Transport, agriculture and the cost of essential commodities are also affected by fuel prices.
In this context, the scope of political debate on petroleum levy is wide. Jamaat-e-Islami is calling it a public relief issue. For the government, this issue is a question of balancing financial resources and prices.
The government has lowered petroleum prices in recent days. But Jamaat-e-Islami is continuing its demand till it reaches Rs 225 per liter.
The latest announcement by Hafiz Naeem has made it evident that Jamaat-e-Islami will not stop the protest. The government and Jamaat-e-Islami may be in talks in the coming days, which could shape the trajectory of this issue.
