JI warns of renewed protests if government fails to abolish petroleum levy

• Jamaat-e-Islami Party leader Hafiz Naimur Rehman has warned that his party will take to the streets again if the government does not take steps to abolish the oil tax.

At a press conference in Idara Noor Haq, Hafiz Naeem said the party’s campaign against oil tax will continue until the government provides relief to the people. He said he had raised the issue with Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and asked him to abolish the tax, adding that the government collects Rs 1,500 billion every month through this tax.

Hafiz Naeem said Ishaq Dar promised that the government would share the relevant figures within a day or two. He added that Mr. Dahl argued that abolishing the tax would also benefit owners of heavy vehicles. In response, Hafiz Naim proposed increasing the tax on expensive cars from Rs 100 to Rs 200 while providing relief to the middle and lower income sections of the society.

The Jamaat-e-Islami chief said he had also met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who sought more time to consider additional relief measures. However, he reiterated that his party’s primary demand was the abolition of the petroleum levy. He also said that the federal and provincial governments had seized power through Form 47 and blamed corruption for the deteriorating situation in Sindh, especially Karachi.