Abolish Petroleum Levy or Face Public Anger, JI Chief Warns Govt

Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman on Monday said the government deceived the people in the name of relief on petrol prices and warned the rulers to abolish the petroleum levy or be prepared to face public anger.

Addressing participants of the JI sit-in in Lahore, he said the party could march towards Islamabad on foot and urged the people to remain prepared for the next phase of the campaign against the levy.

The JI emir announced that the sit-ins would continue and reiterated the party’s plan to march on Islamabad on September 20. He also announced major public gatherings in Karachi on Tuesday, Lahore on September 17, and Mardan and Peshawar on September 18.

The sit-ins in Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar against the petroleum levy entered their 30th day on Monday, while protests were also continuing at around 40 other locations across the country.

Rehman congratulated JI workers and participants of the sit-ins for continuing what he described as a public struggle and called on party workers to reach out to people in neighbourhoods and mobilise the nation behind the campaign. He also thanked opposition parties for supporting the movement and said the JI would continue consultations with them.

Acting JI Secretary General Nazir Ahmad Janjua, Lahore Emir Ziauddin Ansari, Information Secretary Shakil Ahmed Turabi were also present on occasion. Central Punjab Emir Javed Kasuri addressed the participants.

Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman criticised the lavish lifestyle of the ruling elite, saying the rulers appeared unconcerned about the hardships faced by ordinary people.

He said the country needed to break away from an exploitative system based on interest-based economics and capitalism, which he said was pushing the world towards destruction. Referring to the government’s decision to maintain the interest rate, he criticised the rulers for continuing an interest-based economic system.

The JI leader also raised concerns about workers’ rights, saying 84 per cent of Pakistan’s 25 million workers did not enjoy basic rights. He challenged ruling families to disclose the wages and facilities provided to workers employed in their industrial units.

He said political parties failed to take effective action against sugar mafias and independent power producers (IPPs), saying vested interests had become part of the political system.

Rehman also criticised the Punjab government, saying the ruling Sharif family damaged education, healthcare and agriculture in the province. He said schools and health centres were being sold while farmers were being forced to sell wheat at low prices and buy it back at higher rates.

He further criticised the country’s judicial system, saying around 2.4 million cases were pending and judges enjoyed excessive privileges.

He said the JI was struggling to dismantle an outdated and exploitative system and establish a system based on justice and the rights of ordinary citizens.