Hafiz Naeem announces Islamabad long march in mid-November after meeting PM

ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has announced that his party will hold a long march towards Islamabad in mid-November, following a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad after meeting the prime minister, Hafiz Naeem said the party would not postpone its planned march again.

He called on the government to introduce a mechanism to eliminate the petroleum levy before the protest, arguing that the financial burden was being borne by the middle and lower-income segments of society.

He said both sides had agreed on increasing relief on petroleum products, although differences remained over how the relief should be implemented. While Jamaat-e-Islami was demanding the abolition of the levy, the government had proposed providing relief in phases.

Hafiz Naeem said further discussions with the government would continue, but the march would take place in mid-November. He added that the government had sought another seven to 10 days.

The JI chief urged the government to announce a relief package before the march begins, saying the existing measures had not provided sufficient benefits to the public. He maintained that the petroleum levy should be abolished to ease the financial pressure on ordinary citizens.

Hafiz Naeem said his party might have to stage a sit-in on the roads if its demands were not met. He stressed that Jamaat-e-Islami wanted both a reduction in petrol prices and the removal of the levy, adding that public relief should remain the government's priority.

He also credited his party's protests with pushing the government to offer relief on petroleum products.

Hafiz Naeem claimed that without Jamaat-e-Islami's pressure, the government would have increased the petroleum levy from Rs80 to Rs160 instead. He said the party would continue intensifying its pressure until the public received meaningful relief and the levy was abolished.

Responding to questions about negotiations with the government, Hafiz Naeem said talks had to be held with whoever was in power, regardless of how the government had come into office. He argued that political realities required engagement with the existing administration to pursue public demands.