JI Emir warns talks could be final round if govt fails to scrap levy

Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman on Wednesday warned that the ongoing negotiations with the government could enter their final round if the government continued delaying a decision on the complete abolition of the petroleum levy.

Addressing a press conference at Idara Noor-e-Haq, he rejected the government’s proposed weekly petrol relief and lockdown measures, insisting that the levy must be abolished rather than replaced with temporary relief schemes.

“If the government continues delaying and does not abolish the petroleum levy, today’s talks will be the last round,” Hafiz Naeem said. He reiterated that the JI would continue its campaign and its planned Islamabad march.

The JI has been holding sit-ins against the petroleum levy and independent power producer (IPP) agreements in cities across the country. The JI’s negotiations with the government began after the nationwide protest campaign intensified. The third round of talks was held on Tuesday, with JI negotiator Liaqat Baloch saying afterward that the party had rejected the government’s Rs100 petrol relief as no substitute for abolishing the levy.

Rehman said the government collected Rs1,567 billion through the petroleum levy annually but had announced only Rs25 billion in relief for the public. He described the package as inadequate and questioned its proposed implementation through weekly fuel distribution.

He also criticised the government’s decision to consider lockdown measures, saying traders were being pressured in the name of maintaining the system. He called for an end to the practice of changing petroleum prices on a daily basis, saying the frequent revisions were creating difficulties for consumers and businesses, including refineries.

The JI emir also demanded an audit of the government aircraft controversy involving Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz. He called for a forensic audit to determine how public resources were used and for the expenditure to be made public.

Turning to the energy sector, Rehman demanded an end to excessive subsidies to IPPs and regasification plants. He also criticised demands from sugar mill owners for permission to export sugar, saying such demands reflected the influence of powerful business interests over government policy. In-fact, he said, in sugar export matter, rulers were demanding measures from rulers.

He questioned the government’s economic priorities, saying the authorities should reduce unnecessary expenditures and the debt-servicing burden rather than repeatedly passing additional costs on to consumers. He also criticised spending on official privileges and government resources.

Rehman announced a series of public meetings as the JI intensified its campaign. He said a large gathering would be held in Karachi on Wednesday night, followed by rallies in Lahore on Thursday and Mardan and Peshawar on next day.

He said sit-ins were continuing in 41 cities and insisted that the Islamabad march would go ahead despite any government attempts to create obstacles.

“The Islamabad march will not stop,” he said, urging the government not to disrupt peaceful and democratic struggle.

JI Karachi Emir Munim Zafar and other party leaders were present at the press conference.