JI Says Govt Can Cut Petrol Price to Rs225 Per Litre Without Petroleum Levy
- Jamaat-e-Islami’s protest outside the Governor House in Karachi continued for a second day, with a large number of women joining the sit-in.
- JI demanded the abolition of the petroleum levy and cancellation of agreements with independent power producers.
- JI Karachi chief Monem Zafar said Rs1.566 trillion was collected through the petroleum levy during the last financial year.
- JI women leaders said petrol could be reduced to Rs225 per litre without what they described as a “bhatta tax” on citizens.
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has intensified its protest against the petroleum levy and agreements with independent power producers (IPPs), with its sit-in outside the Governor House in Karachi entering a second day on Monday and a large number of women joining the demonstration.
Women protesters, led by JI Karachi Women’s Wing chief Jawedan Faheem, arrived at the protest venue carrying party flags, banners and placards. They demanded the withdrawal of the petroleum levy and cancellation of what the party described as “anti-people” agreements with IPPs.
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Addressing the protesters, JI Karachi chief Monem Zafar said the party had presented clear demands to the government and would continue its campaign until they were addressed. He called for the petroleum levy to be abolished and the IPP agreements to be cancelled.
Zafar claimed that the government collected Rs1.566 trillion from citizens through the petroleum levy during the previous financial year. He said the financial burden was ultimately being borne by ordinary Pakistanis, including labourers, media workers, motorcyclists, food delivery riders and middle-income households.
Criticising the levy imposed on fuel, the JI leader said more than Rs80 per litre was being collected under the petroleum levy alone. He also questioned government spending priorities, citing the purchase of an aircraft worth Rs11 billion for Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and a Rs90 million vehicle for the Senate chairman.
Zafar also highlighted education and economic challenges in Sindh, saying 7.8 million children in the province were out of school. He argued that rising inflation and unemployment had reached a point where women and children were being compelled to leave their homes and participate in street protests.
Referring to conditions faced by female factory workers, Zafar said many women work shifts lasting around 10 hours but are still denied their legitimate rights.
JI MPA Farooq said the protest was primarily directed against the federal government, although the issue had also generated concern in the provincial assembly. He demanded lower petrol and food prices as well as the complete abolition of the petroleum levy, saying rulers who could not accept the legitimate demands of citizens should leave office.
Addressing the sit-in, Jawedan Faheem said Karachi’s women had been forced to protest outside the Governor House because of what she described as the government’s incompetence and excessive spending. She accused the authorities of transferring the financial burden of their expenditure to ordinary citizens.
Jawedan said women would continue participating in the campaign until the petrol price was reduced to Rs225 per litre. She claimed the government could run the country with petrol at that price without imposing what she termed a “bhatta [extortion] tax” on the public.
JI has also announced further activities as part of the ongoing sit-in. According to the party, a students’ session is scheduled for Tuesday, the third day of the protest, while a separate women’s session will be held on Wednesday with participants expected from across Karachi.
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