The federal government and Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan (JI) have agreed to form committees to propose measures to reduce the petroleum levy and ease the financial burden on the public.
JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal and Prime Minister’s Adviser Rana Sanaullah announced this at a press conference in Lahore.
Speaking to reporters, Ahsan Iqbal said a government delegation had held discussions with the JI leadership in Lahore on measures to ease the public burden. He said the government would set up a committee of experts, while the JI would nominate its own team to work jointly on proposals for reducing the petroleum levy.
The minister said the government was prepared to consider and implement practical recommendations emerging from the committees’ discussions.
“We have agreed that relief must be provided to the people,” he said, adding that the government had asked the JI to constitute a team so that both sides could work towards mutually acceptable and workable proposals.
He said the government would also put forward its own position during the discussions and would take appropriate action based on the recommendations agreed upon by the committees.
Emphasising the importance of national interests, Iqbal said Pakistan’s stability and security remained the government’s foremost priority. He also stressed the need for collective efforts to maintain peace and stability in the country, saying the government would not allow any external force to take advantage of internal divisions or instability.
He further said the JI had assured the government that it would refrain from making any demand that could undermine Pakistan’s national interests.
