Summary
- The meeting comes as JI continues to demand the withdrawal of the petroleum levy and further relief for the public amid persistent concerns over the cost of living.
- On Monday, the JI chief warned that his party would march towards Islamabad in mid-November if the government failed to abolish the petroleum levy and provide meaningful relief to the public.
- The latest meeting could provide an opportunity for both sides to discuss the petroleum levy and inflation, as JI maintains pressure on the government over economic relief.
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman arrived at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad on Tuesday to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and discuss the petroleum levy, rising inflation and the financial pressures facing ordinary citizens.
The meeting comes as JI continues to demand the withdrawal of the petroleum levy and further relief for the public amid persistent concerns over the cost of living.
The JI delegation includes Vice Chief Liaquat Baloch, Deputy Secretary General Syed Farasat Shah and Islamabad chapter chief Nasrullah Randhawa.
The government’s negotiating team comprises Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Senator Rana Sanaullah, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, who are accompanying the prime minister.
Rehman is expected to address the media after the meeting and share details of the discussions.
On Monday, the JI chief warned that his party would march towards Islamabad in mid-November if the government failed to abolish the petroleum levy and provide meaningful relief to the public.
Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, he said JI would continue its campaign until the government accepted its demands. He acknowledged that protests had prompted some relief in petroleum prices but argued that the measures were insufficient to address the party’s concerns.
Rehman also criticised the imposition of an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, describing it as a violation of human rights and calling for its withdrawal.
In September, the JI chief had agreed to postpone a planned long march from Karachi after the government requested more time to address the party’s demands.
The latest meeting could provide an opportunity for both sides to discuss the petroleum levy and inflation, as JI maintains pressure on the government over economic relief.
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