Hafiz Naeem warns of street protests if government fails to end Petroleum Levy

Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to announce the withdrawal of the petroleum levy,

LAHORE:  Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to announce the withdrawal of the petroleum levy, warning that the government would otherwise have to face the party on the streets rather than at the negotiating table.

Speaking at a press conference at Mansoorah in Lahore, Hafiz Naeem said the party would continue its protest movement against the petroleum levy. He said a public gathering would be held in Okara, while the party would consider resuming its long march from Multan following a meeting in two days.

He said Jamaat-e-Islami planned to march towards Islamabad from multiple directions if the protest strategy proceeded as planned.
The JI chief said the prime minister could meet the party if he announced the withdrawal of the petroleum levy; otherwise, the party would continue its agitation on the streets.

Highlighting the country’s economic challenges, Hafiz Naeem claimed that Pakistan’s rate of increase in poverty was higher than that of India and Bangladesh. He also expressed concern over problems facing the education and agriculture sectors in Punjab.
Commenting on the political situation, he questioned the Pakistan Peoples Party’s electoral mandate and described Karachi’s mayor as illegitimate. He also challenged PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to make Form 45 election result documents public.

Calling for an end to political victimisation, Hafiz Naeem said no political leader should be imprisoned for political reasons. He argued that if the allegations against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan warranted his imprisonment, other politicians facing similar allegations should also be behind bars.

He further stressed that terrorism was a national issue and said public support was essential for effective action against it.