JI to Proceed with Long March as Fifth Round of Government Talks Ends Without Agreement
- Jamaat-e-Islami rejected the government’s request to postpone its long march over security concerns.
- JI says its protest will continue until the petroleum levy is abolished and public demands are addressed.
- The march, led by JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, is scheduled to begin from Karachi today.
The fifth round of negotiations between Jamaat-e-Islami and the federal government ended without an agreement on Saturday after the party refused to postpone its planned long march.
Government representatives urged JI leaders to defer the protest, citing security threats. The party, however, maintained that it would proceed with the march under its previously announced programme.
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The government’s negotiating team included Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah and Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique.
JI was represented by Deputy Emir Liaquat Baloch, Acting Secretary General Nazir Ahmed Janjua, Special Assistant Umair Idrees, Lahore Emir Ziauddin Ansari and Information Secretary Shakeel Ahmed Turabi.
During the meeting, Liaquat Baloch said Jamaat-e-Islami would continue its protest campaign until the petroleum levy was abolished. He urged the government to take concrete steps to address the public’s demands instead of relying solely on assurances.
Baloch warned that protests and long marches would continue if the government failed to provide meaningful relief to citizens.
The government delegation assured JI representatives that extraordinary relief measures for the public would be announced soon. Officials also referred to pressure from the International Monetary Fund, noting that an IMF delegation was expected to visit Pakistan shortly.
Under Jamaat-e-Islami’s announced schedule, the long march will begin from Karachi today under the leadership of the party’s emir.
