Petroleum levy, inflation
Talks between govt, JI on providing relief to consumers have been postponed until Tuesday on the directives of PM
Islamabad
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan on Sunday announced support for Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) ongoing sit-ins against the petroleum levy and inflation, saying his party would invite the JI to join its long march for justice and would stand by its struggle against rising prices.
Gohar also welcomed JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman’s statement regarding the release of PTI founder Imran Khan.
“We support JI’s sit-ins and welcome Rehman’s statement regarding Imran Khan’s release,” Gohar said. He added that the JI would be invited to participate in the long march for justice and that the PTI would support its campaign against inflation.
Meanwhile, JI’s countrywide sit-ins against the petroleum levy and inflation entered their 29th day on Sunday. Protest camps and sit-ins continued at more than 35 locations, including Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Haripur and Swat.
Preparations are also under way for the JI’s planned long march to Islamabad on September 20.
Rehman said the longer the government delayed negotiations, the more the sit-ins would expand. He said the party’s struggle would continue until relief was provided to the people.
He also announced that the sit-ins would continue alongside the long march.
Reacting to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement of a scheme offering relief of Rs100 per litre on petrol for motorcycles, rickshaws and small cars, he said the government had been forced to offer the relief as a result of the JI’s campaign against the “unjust” petroleum levy.
He said the government’s relief scheme would not affect the JI’s campaign against the petroleum levy. The party would continue its struggle, long march and sit-ins until the levy was completely abolished, he added. Rehman said the JI would review the prime minister’s scheme before announcing its formal position on it.
According to the JI, protest sit-ins and camps are also continuing in Sukkur, Chitral and Timergara, besides the other locations, with more than 35 protest sites operating across the country.
