Jamaat-e-Islami to Launch Third Phase of Petroleum Levy Protest on October 23

ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) will launch the third phase of its protest movement against the petroleum levy on October 23, with sit-ins planned across all districts of the country on Friday.

According to a statement issued by the party’s spokesperson on Wednesday, the government’s committee had previously contacted JI to arrange a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman. However, the party said no further contact had been made despite arrangements for the meeting having been settled.

JI has made the abolition of the petroleum levy the central demand for any meeting between the prime minister and its chief.

The announcement follows the party’s decision on September 22 to postpone the next phase of its march towards Islamabad after contact between Shehbaz Sharif and Hafiz Naeem. At the time, the prime minister had requested a postponement and invited the party leadership for talks after returning to Pakistan.

Hafiz Naeem had agreed to meet the prime minister but made clear that the party would continue its protest campaign, seeking lower fuel prices and the removal of the petroleum levy to provide relief to the public.

As part of its campaign against rising fuel prices and inflation, JI has previously held sit-ins at 510 locations nationwide and observed a countrywide shutdown strike.

The party has maintained that it will seek written assurances from the government before deciding its next course of action.