JI chief questions train delay as protest march pauses in Sukkur

Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to withdraw the petroleum levy and provide relief to people struggling with rising fuel prices.

Rehman made the remarks after the JI’s protest march towards Islamabad reached Sukkur. The party began its campaign from Karachi on Sunday and travelled by train as part of its protest against the petroleum levy.

The JI chief also questioned the four-hour delay in the Shalimar Express, which was scheduled to take the protesters from Sukkur towards Multan. He said the delay raised questions about the performance of Pakistan Railways.

Rehman said the government should explain whether such delays were routine. He noted that the Shalimar Express is a widely used train and has also been privatised.

According to a railway official, the delay was caused by an engine fault in Tando Adam, Sanghar district. The train reached Karachi at around 7:20am instead of its scheduled time. Its departure was consequently delayed.

The Shalimar Express reached Hyderabad at about 1:25pm, several hours later than its usual arrival time of 9:20am. The delay also affected its expected arrival at Rohri railway station in Sukkur, where the JI caravan was waiting.

The JI plans to travel from Sukkur to Multan by train. From Multan, party workers and supporters are expected to continue the protest towards Islamabad by road.

Rehman also criticised the government’s fuel relief programme, calling the assistance insufficient. He demanded a further reduction in petrol prices and the withdrawal of the petroleum levy.

He said the government had allocated around Rs26 billion each month to provide subsidised fuel to motorcyclists. However, he questioned whether the entire amount would be used because many motorcycles were not registered for the scheme.

The JI chief compared the relief allocation with the approximately Rs150 billion collected by the government every month through the petroleum levy. He argued that the public needed greater relief from high fuel costs.

Rehman also criticised the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). He said the party publicly supported the JI’s campaign against the federal government but alleged that hurdles were being created for the protest train and people trying to welcome it.