Jamaat-e-Islami launches nationwide protests over fuel prices

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has launched a nationwide protest campaign across Pakistan, staging sit-ins in major cities including Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and Quetta. The demonstrations target rising inflation, high fuel prices, and the heavy burden of petroleum levies and taxes.

JI leaders, including Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman and Deputy Emir Liaquat Baloch, have demanded that the government abolish the petroleum levy and cancel agreements with independent power producers (IPPs). Protesters claim that taxes on fuel are excessive, with some leaders stating that total taxes on petrol reach approximately 130 rupees per litre. The party argues that fuel prices could be reduced to 225 rupees per litre if the current levy structure were removed.

The protests have seen significant participation from various demographics, including women. JI leadership has warned of further escalations, including a potential nationwide strike, if the government does not provide immediate relief to citizens facing soaring costs for transport, food, and household essentials.