JI announces nationwide protests on July 10

LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Tuesday announced countrywide demonstrations on July 10 against the petroleum levy, higher fuel prices, inflation and what he described as the government’s failed economic policies.

Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, Rehman said the protest campaign would continue until the government offered what he termed real relief to the public. He also urged citizens to oppose what he called an unjust system and made a special appeal to young people to take part in the nationwide protests on Friday.

Criticism of fuel pricing and taxes

Rehman said the recent cut in petrol prices by Rs1.97 per litre was not sufficient. He described the Rs118 per litre being collected in the form of combined taxes and levies on petrol as extortion, and claimed the authorities had collected about Rs8.5 trillion to meet tax targets instead of improving energy supply infrastructure.

He said the petroleum levy was placing a heavier burden on low-income and middle-income groups, including labourers, students and motorcycle users, while influential landowners continued to avoid taxation. He demanded that the levy be scrapped immediately and said the retail price of petrol should not be more than Rs225 per litre.

Concerns over LPG and gas supply

The JI chief also criticised the government’s handling of the energy sector. He said that although the official rate of liquefied petroleum gas was fixed at Rs241 per kilogramme, it was being sold in the market at around Rs500 per kg. He added that extended gas load-shedding and expensive LPG were further increasing pressure on consumers.

At the same press conference, Rehman stressed the importance of affordable gas for the economy.

He also questioned the climate support levy on petroleum products and asked where, according to him, nearly Rs60 billion collected under that levy had been spent.