Jamaat-e-Islami calls for nationwide strike in Pakistan

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has called for a nationwide shutter-down strike on Thursday, September 3, to protest against the petroleum levy and excessive taxation. JI chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman is demanding immediate relief for the public and the withdrawal of various taxes and levies.

In Karachi, the country’s largest commercial hub, major markets are expected to close. The Karachi Traders Alliance and leaders of mobile phone and electronics markets have confirmed their support for the shutdown. Traders cited rising operating costs and mounting economic pressures as primary reasons for joining the strike.

In addition to the nationwide strike, JI plans to stage protests in Peshawar and has suggested the possibility of expanding sit-ins to Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The party has also criticized the impact of inflation and the profits made by certain sectors, such as the sugar and independent power industries, at the expense of ordinary citizens. A government delegation is expected to meet with JI officials in Lahore to discuss the party’s demands.