Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) leader Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has vowed to proceed with a planned march towards Islamabad, saying the party would continue its protest against the petroleum levy despite government pressure.
Addressing a public sit-in on Murree Road on the 28th day of the ongoing protest, Mr Rehman said the government must choose between resolving the issue through a straightforward measure or risking a wider public backlash.
“We do not believe in bullets or abuse. We will reach Islamabad peacefully and democratically and secure the rights of the people,” he said.
The JI leader accused the government of insulting the people by continuing to increase petroleum prices while negotiations with the party over its demands remained ongoing.
He demanded the abolition of what he termed a Rs130-per-litre “Gunda tax”, saying the party would not accept what he described as an unjust burden on citizens.
Mr Rehman said protest sit-ins were being held at around 40 locations across the country, including Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi, with three new camps being established each day.
He claimed that the government would not be able to halt the movement by placing containers or deploying trucks and warned that the JI would not accept what he called a “drama” in the name of negotiations.
The JI leader called for an immediate reduction in the petroleum levy and an end to the collection of Rs1,567 billion annually from citizens through the levy.
He also urged the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to meet its revenue targets, called for an end to interest-based financial practices and questioned federal allocations for provincial departments.
Mr Rehman further demanded that government officials and political leaders give up what he described as unnecessary privileges and reduce public expenditure, saying such measures could save billions of rupees for the national exchequer.
Referring to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s recent visit to London, the JI chief questioned the use of a government aircraft for what he described as a private foreign trip.
He demanded disclosure of the expenses incurred during the visit, saying citizens had the right to know how much the trip had cost the national exchequer.
Mr Rehman also criticised the Punjab government’s policy of selling public schools and basic health centres, describing the move as unacceptable.
He alleged that the chief minister was placing her nameplates on basic health centres after they had been transferred to private parties.
Calling for broader changes to the existing system, the JI leader announced that caravans from across the country would head towards Islamabad on September 20.
He warned that the planned mobilisation would become a major public movement and could not be stopped through administrative measures.
