LAHORE – Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has announced that he will unveil plans for a nationwide strike against petrol levy tonight, while urging opposition parties to join the party’s ongoing sit-ins for public rights.
The JI’s sit-in at Lahore’s Chairing Cross continued for the 12th consecutive day, where Hafiz Naeem addressed a press conference and strongly criticised the government over rising inflation and fuel prices.
He demanded the immediate abolition of the petroleum levy, saying the protest was aimed at securing relief for ordinary citizens and the country’s 250 million people.
“The government must abolish the petroleum levy and provide relief to the people,” he said, adding that JI was fighting for public rights rather than for its own interests.
Hafiz Naeem accused the government of increasing petrol prices despite a decline of around $7 in global oil prices. He warned that the ongoing peaceful protests should not be mistaken for weakness and urged the authorities not to test the protesters’ patience.
He said JI’s protests had now spread to several cities. A public gathering would be held in Faisalabad the following day, followed by rallies in Rawalpindi on August 30 and Peshawar on August 31. The party would also hold a programme in Swat on September 4.
The JI chief also called for the cancellation of what he described as unjust agreements with independent power producers (IPPs) and demanded measures to reduce the burden of inflation on the public.
Commenting on the incident at PIMS Hospital, Hafiz Naeem said accidents could occur, but the government was responsible for ensuring adequate safety measures to prevent such incidents. He demanded that authorities explain what security and safety arrangements had been in place at the hospital.
He said suspending officials after every tragedy was not enough and called for all those responsible to be held accountable.
Inviting the opposition parties to join JI’s protests, Hafiz Naeem said the party would further expand its sit-ins across the country. He added that a long march remained an option and that the party would decide its future course of action after assessing the situation.
