JI postpones long march until first week of October

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has announced that it will postpone its long march to Islamabad until the first week of October while keeping its protest movement and sit-ins ongoing.

Speaking to the media in Multan, JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had requested the party to postpone the march and had also invited its leadership for a meeting.

Hafiz Naeem said JI would accept the prime minister’s invitation and hold talks with him when he returns to Pakistan. He said the party would seek a written assurance from the government regarding relief for the public.

According to the JI chief, the prime minister had assured the party that he would work with it to provide relief to the people after returning to Pakistan. Hafiz Naeem said the party held lengthy consultations before deciding to delay the march.

He made it clear that JI had not withdrawn from its protest movement. He said the party had also not abandoned its plan for a long march and would continue its sit-ins.

Hafiz Naeem said the government could not prevent people from reaching Islamabad by blocking roads. He said if the situation had deteriorated, the government was responsible for it.

He said JI would hold talks with the prime minister after his return. If the government provided meaningful relief to the people, the situation could be reviewed. Otherwise, he said, the party would proceed with the long march in October.

The JI emir said people across the country were facing severe inflation and struggling with rising prices. He claimed that the party’s shutter-down strike had increased pressure on the government.

He said JI had presented several proposals to the government for reducing petrol prices. However, according to Hafiz Naeem, the government had told the party that it could not reduce the petroleum levy because Pakistan was implementing an International Monetary Fund programme.

Hafiz Naeem said three to four rounds of meetings had already taken place with government ministers before the planned march. He said the relief announced by the government was insufficient.

“If the government cannot abolish the levy on petrol, how can we end our protest?” he asked.

He said the party’s movement was not based on any personal or political agenda. According to him, an increase in petrol prices affects the prices of essential goods and increases the financial burden on ordinary citizens.

The JI chief also expressed concern over the economic difficulties faced by people in Karachi and other parts of the country. He said the government was collecting a much higher levy from consumers while citing pressure from the IMF as a reason for maintaining the charges.

Hafiz Naeem said JI would continue negotiations with the prime minister because its demand was focused on providing relief to the public. He maintained that the party would not abandon its campaign regardless of the circumstances.

He reiterated that the sit-ins would continue and said JI would remain stationed in Multan for the time being.

Hafiz Naeem stressed that the party stood by its decisions and would continue its movement until its demands for public relief were addressed.