The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) announced on Wednesday that it will launch the third wave of its JI petroleum levy protest movement on Friday, with sit-ins planned in every district of the country.
A press release issued by the party said the new phase of demonstrations would begin on the instructions of JI chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman. The party’s demand remains unchanged: the complete abolition of the petroleum levy.
The government currently collects Rs114 per litre in taxes and duties on petrol and Rs100 per litre on diesel. The levy has been the central plank of JI’s street campaign for months, with the party arguing that it pushes fuel prices beyond the reach of ordinary households and transporters.
JI petroleum levy protest enters third phase as talks stall
The JI petroleum levy protest enters its third phase amid a breakdown in talks between the party and the government. According to the press release, the Centre and JI had agreed in early September to form committees that would recommend measures to reduce the levy. That understanding was reached when JI had planned a nationwide strike.
JI now says the government has made no further contact about a planned meeting between Rehman and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which the prime minister had offered to hold.
The press release recalled that Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and the prime minister’s adviser on political affairs, Rana Sanaullah, had contacted JI vice emir Liaqat Baloch to convey the premier’s message seeking a meeting. Both sides had agreed that their respective committees would meet to work out a schedule for the proposed meeting, but the government made no further contact after that, the party said.
Rehman has already clarified that the agenda of any meeting with the prime minister would be the abolition of the petroleum levy, not a compromise on it.
“The JI emir has warned that if the government continues to delay action and refuses to provide relief to the public, the matter will be decided through street protests,” the press release said. It added that the party’s campaign against the levy would continue nationwide until its demand was met.
A protest campaign running since August
The JI petroleum levy protest is not new. On August 16, the party announced sit-ins in all four provincial capitals against the levy and called for a nationwide strike on September 3. On September 20, JI launched a protest march towards Islamabad, warning the agitation could turn into a movement to oust the government. Two days later, with its convoy in Multan, the party postponed the march at the prime minister’s request, pending a meeting that never took place.
That meeting never took place. The party’s latest announcement signals that its patience with the government’s committee process has run out, a development Feature Pakistan reported earlier this month when JI linked any meeting with the prime minister to a firm pledge on cutting the levy.
What the levy means for fuel prices
The petroleum levy feeds directly into the prices Pakistanis pay at the pump. Petrol is currently selling at Rs390.23 per litre after the latest revision, with high-speed diesel at Rs396.96. The Rs114 per litre collected on petrol and Rs100 on diesel make up a large share of the retail price.
JI argues that removing the levy would bring immediate relief to consumers, transporters and farmers. The government, for its part, has treated the levy as a key revenue stream at a time when it is under pressure to meet fiscal targets.
What happens next
Friday’s sit-ins will test whether the third wave of the JI petroleum levy protest can sustain the momentum of the earlier phases. The party has framed the coming demonstrations as the start of a decisive round, with Rehman’s warning that continued delay will push the matter onto the streets.
For now, the ball is in the government’s court. If the Centre re-engages and the long-promised meeting between the prime minister and the JI chief materialises, the protest calendar could change. If not, Pakistan’s districts are set for a fresh round of sit-ins from Friday.
Frequently asked questions
When will the JI’s third protest wave begin?
The Jamaat-i-Islami says the third phase of its anti-petroleum levy movement will begin on Friday, October 23, with sit-ins in all districts across the country.
What is the JI demanding?
The party wants the complete abolition of the petroleum levy. JI chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has said the agenda of any meeting with the prime minister would be the levy’s abolition.
How much petroleum levy does the government collect?
The government currently levies Rs114 per litre in taxes and duties on petrol and Rs100 per litre on diesel, according to the JI’s press release.
Why did the earlier talks stall?
JI says both sides agreed in early September to form committees and schedule a meeting between Rehman and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, but the government made no further contact after Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Rana Sanaullah reached out to the party.
