Summary Addressing a sit-in on Mall Road, Hafiz Naeem said the JI had launched a protest that would continue until the government withdrew the levy
LAHORE (Dunya News) - Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has strongly criticized the government over rising fuel prices and taxes, accusing the ruling coalition of adding to the hardships faced by the public.
Addressing a sit-in against the petroleum levy and inflation at Faisal Chowk on Lahore’s Mall Road, Hafiz Naeem said the JI had launched a protest that would continue until the government withdrew the levy.
He said a separate sit-in was also continuing outside the Governor House in Karachi.
He warned that the party would continue its struggle until the government backed down, expressing confidence that the protests would force the authorities to reconsider their policies.
Responding to the government’s claim that a committee had been formed to address the issue, Hafiz Naeem said the JI did not need a briefing from the government.
He said the party would not travel to Islamabad for negotiations and insisted that anyone seeking talks should come to the protest site.
He said there would be only one point for discussion: withdrawal of the petroleum levy.
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The JI chief described the existing system as disconnected from the public, saying it could no longer continue.
He termed the petroleum levy an unjust tax imposed on ordinary citizens.
Hafiz Naeem also criticized the country’s feudal and bureaucratic elite, questioning how many landlords associated with the PML-N paid taxes on their agricultural estates.
He accused wealthy landowners and senior bureaucrats of avoiding taxes while rulers continued to enjoy privileges at the expense of the poor.
JI protests against inflation and the petroleum levy are currently being held outside Governor Houses in Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar.
