A government delegation on Thursday met Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman at Mansoorah and offered negotiations on the party’s demand for withdrawal of the petroleum levy, as the JI’s nationwide shutter-down strike was observed across the country.
The delegation comprising Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah and Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique held talks with the JI chief and later addressed a joint press conference.
Rehman made it clear that JI sit-ins and protests in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and other cities would continue during the negotiations.”We will end protest when the government will accept our demands.”
“The sit-ins and JI protest against petroleum levy will continue throughout the negotiation process. No one should mistake JI’s peaceful struggle for weakness.”
He constituted a five-member committee, headed by JI Vice Emir Liaquat Baloch, to negotiate with the government on the petroleum levy. The committee includes Deputy Secretary Syed Firasat Shah, JI Lahore Emir Ziauddin Ansari, Islamabad Emir Nasrullah Randhawa and Naveed Ali Baig.
JI Special Assistant Umair Idrees, JI Information Secretary Shakil Ahmed Turabi and JI Social Media head Salman Sheikh also attended the meeting and presser.
JI Press Talk and JI Protest Against Petroleum Levy :
The JI chief said the JI’s ongoing protests, now in their 19th day, are not aiming at securing political gains. But, he added, we sought relief for ordinary citizens from inflation, high electricity prices and taxes on petroleum products.
He said the government is collecting more than Rs130 per litre from consumers in petroleum levy and other taxes. Rehman argued that the government had failed to provide relief despite declining international oil prices and the difficult economic conditions.
Rehman said around 40% of Pakistan’s population was living below the poverty line, while expensive fuel and electricity had placed an unbearable burden on more than 90% of the population.
He said JI’s technical team had prepared detailed proposals on abolishing the petroleum levy and would present them during negotiations, adding that the party would explain how consumer relief could be provided without undermining the economy.
Ahsan Iqbal said the government would consider JI’s proposals seriously and provide maximum possible relief within available fiscal space. He appreciated the party’s peaceful campaign but cautioned against allowing protests to create disorder, while citing the government’s commitments to the IMF.
Rana Sanaullah said formal negotiations with the JI committee would begin on Monday. He expressed hope that the government will make substantial progress on the demands within two weeks.
